Shunsuke Nakamura has praised the Parkhead side’s current run of Japanese stars Yosuke Ideguchi, Reo Hatate, Daizen Maeda and Kyogo Furuhashi, speaking with the Celtic View.
Ange Postecoglou has introduced a raft of new players to the ranks in Glasgow since taking charge in June. The Australian has added a combined 17 players between his first summer and winter windows at the helm, having hit reset amid a raft of loan and permanent exit.
Furuhashi had big shoes to fill having arrived to effectively replace Odsonne Edouard. But the £4.6m former Vissel Kobe ace has more than matched the task at hand, with his injury-enforced absence since December a sore miss for the Bhoys after 16 goals after 26 games.
Maeda has since helped soften the blow after arriving on loan with a £1.7m option to buy in January. The 24-year-old has scored six goals in 14 games, and has offered Postecoglou an option on the left-hand of the Celtic frontline to play alongside Giorgos Giakoumakis, too.
Hatate, meanwhile, has added further goals to a midfield already boasting Tom Rogic and his five-goals, 10-assists. The £1.4m addition from Kawasaki Frontale has scored three and assisted two over his first 14 appearances. Ideguchi is the only one yet to get off the mark.
Celtic hero Nakamura hails Daizen Maeda as he has ‘all the ability required’
Celtic hero Nakamura has loved seeing Postecoglou add new Japanese stars to the ranks at Parkhead, and is confident Ideguchi, Hatate, Maeda and Furuhashi all have lots to offer.
“I’m very glad to see Ange Postecoglou take charge and take four Japanese players over who are all playing well,” Nakamura said. “I think Celtic have four really good players.
“Yosuke has more than 10 caps for Japan and is a great talent. Reo is only getting better by the day, and won two league titles in Japan. Daizen is very quick, and has all the ability required for modern football and matches the style of the manager.”
Postecoglou will hope to see Ideguchi establish a greater presence like Maeda, Furuhashi and Hatate have at Celtic. The 25-year-old has only played 106 minutes over five outings since moving to Glasgow. He also made his sole start to date during a Scottish Cup clash.
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