Celtic want Yuki Kobayashi and the Vissel Kobe defender is allegedly very interested in making a January move to Scotland.
The Bhoys ended their Champions League group stage campaign on Wednesday as they lost 5-1 to Real Madrid.
Celtic weren’t able to win a game in their group and that shows the progress they still need to make.
Dominating in Scotland is one thing but Celtic still need to improve in Europe and Ange Postecoglou will want signings to go to the next level.
Celtic want Yuki Kobayashi
Postecoglou appears to want another centre back.
Carl Starfelt has struggled with injuries this term and adding a natural left-footer appears to be on Postecoglou’s wish list.
The main name in the frame for that role is Vissel Kobe ace Kobayashi.
The Daily Mail claim that Celtic have opened talks over a deal to sign Kobayashi during the January transfer window.
The Scottish Daily Express now have an update as they claim that Kobayashi is ‘very keen’ to join Celtic.
That report adds that the fee for Kobayashi would be around £1.5million.
That price puts Kobayashi just cheaper than Daizen Maeda and slightly more expensive than Reo Hatate.
Kobayashi, 21, has played 77 times for Vissel Kobe but has yet to receive his first cap for the Japanese national team.
The strong Japanese contingent at Celtic will surely appeal to Kobayashi, as will challenging for league titles and playing in Europe.
Postecoglou has mostly got it right with his Japanese signings.
Hatate and Kyogo Furuhashi have been outstanding, Daizen Maeda is a hard worker even if his technical ability lets him down but Yosuke Ideguchi hasn’t made an impact.
If Celtic do want to go and sign Kobayashi, they would be looking for him to be a key part of build-up play from the back whilst hopefully being more of a Kyogo or Hatate than an Ideguchi.
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