Celtic are scouting Nurnberg’s Japanese attacker Kanji Okunuki only a couple of months after Scottish Premiership rivals Hearts missed out.
After attracting attention from Edinburgh over the summer, the 24-year-old can now claim to have clubs in Scotland’s second city batting their eyelashes in his direction too. Kanji Okunuki, according to Sky Germany reporter Ben Heckner, has been watched ‘intensively’ by Glasgow giants Celtic over the last couple of weeks, and Hearts’ loss could be the Hoops’ gain.
“According to Sky information Celtic are interested in Kanji Okunuki of 1.FC Nurnberg,” Heckner writes on X. “The Scots have scouted the Japanese intensively in recent weeks.
“But there is no concrete offer yet.”
Celtic eye Kanji Okunuki
According to the Edinburgh News, Hearts looked at bringing in Okunuki to Tynecastle in a deal which could have set them back around £400,000 back in June. The former Omiya Ardija star would likely command a bigger fee these days. Celtic have money to spend and Okunuki has now proven himself in European football after an impressive first half of the campaign at Nurnberg.
Lining up on the left wing and cutting in onto his right boot, Okunuki has scored four goals in 15 games for the Bundesliga.2 outfit, earning a first ever call up for the Japanese national team. Should he join Celtic in the New Year, Okunuki would link up with compatriots Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate, Tomoki Iwata, Yuki Kobayashi and, of course, Kyogo Furuhashi.
Okunuki also scored against Premier League giants Arsenal in pre-season.
As is typical of Japanese forwards, Okunuki boasts excellent footwork and eye-catching technical ability. While less explosive, perhaps, than Luis Palma, Okunuki would provide competition for the outstanding Honduran on the left wing.
Likened to Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma
“Ever since I was in junior high and high school, it has been my dream to play overseas,” Okunuki told Soccer King during a recent loan spell in Poland. “I used to watch a lot of overseas soccer, especially the Premier League. I had a dream of playing overseas when I saw players cutting things apart with their dribbles.
“My strengths (are my) dribbling. Now, when I have a one-on-one situation, I feel like I can almost completely get out of it. The other issue is the moment after dribbling past (the defender), and the numbers such as goals and assists.”
Okunuki has been likened to Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma due to his speed and skill in the tightest of areas.
“It’s difficult to defend against him,” Nurnberg coach Cristian Fiel says, via Yahoo Japan. “He’s quick and agile in one-v-one situations. And he has the potential to get even better.”
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