Celtic’s signing of Hayato Inamura had more impact off the field than on it.
A £250,000 purchase from Albirex Niigata, the Japanese defender was brought to the club early in the summer transfer window and incorporated into Brendan Rodgers’ squad.
Despite this, Rodgers described him as a ‘club signing’ who was here to be ‘looked at’ before it was decided whether he was sent out on loan.
Inamura remained at the club and wasn’t sent out on loan, despite not even being registered in the club’s Europa League squad. Countryman Shin Yamada was signed in the same window, facing the same fate.
Inamura has now returned to Japan, signing for FC Tokyo on loan with an option to buy. He had some telling words after the move.
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Hayato Inamura on joining FC Tokyo from Celtic
No one knows why Inamura was really signed – but Rodgers’ ‘club signing’ comments ended up being referenced everywhere.
From a meeting between Michael Nicholson and the Celtic Fans Collective to Dermot Desmond’s bombshell statement after Rodgers’ departure, it was clearly a point of contention.
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At the centre of it all was a 23-year-old player who had clearly made an ill-advised move, appearing just once in his six months at Celtic.
And after his Tokyo move, Inamura has spoken of his ‘difficult’ spell in Glasgow.
He said: “It was difficult in many ways. It was a tough time for me.
“There are things I can say and things I can’t say. But there really was a difference in football ability.
“I was confident I could reach that level if I could play in the games, but I wasn’t given the chance.
“And I had mental ups and downs.
“Daizen Maeda told me I could definitely launch my career again if I returned home to Japan and that encouraged me.
Fairly strong words from the defender, who is clearly unhappy about how his move transpired.
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Celtic’s other frozen-out players
The aforementioned Yamada has appeared in plenty more matchday squads than Inamura, as a more established player with more experience – he is still yet to score for Celtic, however.
Jahmai Simpson-Pusey has now moved to FC Koln, having had his bizarre loan move from Manchester City terminated.
Michel-Ange Balikwisha has started just twice for Celtic since his £5 million move from Royal Antwerp. He is about to return from AFCON.
With such a heavy focus on incomings this January, outgoings like Inamura’s are also worth keeping an eye on.
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