What the Japanese media are saying about Hayato Inamura’s exit should make Celtic fans wonder

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The clearout from Celtic’s near-costly 2025 summer transfer window is about to begin.

Hayato Inamura joined Celtic from Albirex Niigata in Japan as a left-footed defender and showcased positive signs in pre-season under Brendan Rodgers.

But Inamura would only play for Celtic once, before being loaned out to FC Tokyo during the January transfer window, who are now set to secure his services permanently.

Yahoo Japan have stated that negotiations over Inamura’s services are at a ‘final stage’ and an announcement from both parties is ‘expected soon.’

• READ MORE: Celtic enter Tairyk Arconte race as Martin O’Neill’s summer drive begins

Were Celtic wrong to not give Hayato Inamura a chance at Celtic?

Does he still have a future at the club?

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Japanese media lauds Hayato Inamura’s quality ahead of Celtic exit

On paper, Inamura will go down as a flop signing.

But he will point to hardly being provided with a chance during a season of chaos for Celtic.

What’s interesting is that the Japanese media are stating that, with this return to Tokyo for Inamura, he aims to earn his first international call-up for his country.

Added to that, they have spoken about how he has played like a ‘modern’ defender during his spell at Tokyo, including the improvement in his defending.

The 24-year-old played for FC Tokyo as a teenager before representing Albirex Niigata, where he was spotted by the champions of Scotland.

Now that Inamura has returned to where it all started, he has ‘established himself as a key player’, according to Yahoo Japan, and that’s why this move is now being made permanent.

Inamura in the wrong place at the wrong time

Go back to Rodgers’ opening few months of the recent campaign. Rodgers didn’t play Callum Osmand, didn’t even have him on the bench.

Yet look at Osmand now and the new lease of life he has brought to the table in Glasgow.

You just wonder if Inamura was in the wrong place at the wrong time, because from his perspective, you have every right to be annoyed and angry.

It’s not like he played a load of minutes and struggled nearly every time he went on the pitch.

Rodgers clearly wanted more proven and experienced players.

And then, rightfully or wrongly, seemingly threw his toys out of the pram at the project-like signings, which Inamura falls into, that were put on the table, as they were hardly provided with a chance to prove their worth.