With just nine minutes on the clock at the Tony Macaroni Arena, Kyogo Furuhashi controlled a clever Greg Taylor through-ball and lashed a fierce left-footed shot into the top corner of Livingston’s net. This was his 29th goal in less than 50 games in the green-and-white of Celtic.
If the Japan international was something of an unknown quantity before arriving at Parkhead in the summer of 2021, then he’s a veritable household name north of the border these days.
Reo Hatate and Daizen Maeda might not hog quite so many headlines but they, like compatriot Kyogo, played a major role as Ange Postecoglou marked his debut season in Scottish football with a domestic double.
So the potential signing of yet another J-League import is likely to go down rather well on the green half of Glasgow. Yuki Kobayashi represents a risk, yes, but a calculated one. Postecoglou, given the successes of the other players he brought to Celtic from the Far East, has more-than earned himself the benefit of the doubt as the Hoops close in on a deal for the 22-year-old Vissel Kobe centre-back (Sponichi).
According to reports, a deal has been agreed. Kobayashi should arrive in January. As things stand, how much Celtic will pay is not certain. But the Japan U20 international is unlikely to require a bank-breaking sum.
“So, Celtic target Yuki Kobayashi,” writes stats expert Sacha Pisani. “Yuki’s good in the air. He reads, anticipates the game well. Comfortable on ball as left-footer and very good at blocking shots. A lot of upside.”
Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic close in on Yuki Kobayashi deal
Kobayashi, as you might expect given Postecoglou’s admiration for him, is a tactically astute footballer boasting eye-catching technical ability. He can play as a centre-half or a left-back. And Kobayashi should fit in well at Celtic, given his ability to start attacks with his impressive passing range.
The biggest questions arising from Kobayashi’s potential arrival, however, are likely to focus on how he would impact those already fighting for a place in Celtic’s starting XI. Postecoglou has four high-quality centre-halves at his disposal; Moritz Jenz, Carl Starfelt, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Stephen Welsh.
And if anyone is to make way for a new face, Welsh feels like the most obvious candidate. With just six appearances under his belt all season, the Celtic academy graduate is currently bottom of Postecoglou’s pecking order. He’s also perhaps the most sellable.
Per Football Scotland, Ligue 1 outfit Toulouse had a £3 million bid rejected over the summer. Should they or another suitor make a move in January, once Celtic have added further depth to their defensive ranks, a similar offer will almost certainly be considered. £3 million, after all, is a more-than tempting offer for a back-up player yet to live up to his potential.
Now, this is not to say Kobayashi would be a direct replacement for Welsh. Kobayashi plays off his left. The latter, meanwhile, is more comfortable on the right of a centre-back duo. Kobayashi’s arrival, however, should see versatile Carl Starfelt (who spent last season on the left) shift across. Thus, offsetting Welsh’s potential departure.
Whether Kobayashi can emulate Hatate, Maeda and Kyogo, only time will tell. But, having enjoyed such success in the Japanese market, it’s no surprise to see Celtic return to a familiar hunting ground.
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