Celtic look set to make a significant profit on another failed project signing, in the form of the rarely spotted Hayato Inamura…
The full-back was signed last summer from Japanese side Albirex Nigata, for around £250,000 at the time.
Now though, it seems that the recently crowned Scottish Premiership winners will be remunerated several times over for a player who barely kicked a ball in Glasgow. Inamura was just one of a number of the fabled “club signings” throughout the years and could be categorised alongside many others who had no realistic chance of making the grade at Celtic Park.
Brendan Rodgers was less than impressed when J-League imports Inamura and his compatriot, Shin Yamada, were foisted upon him, after losing Kyogo and Nicolas Kühn from his side.
It would mark the beginning of the end for the Carnlough man’s second spell as Celtic boss, with another summer of discontent precipitating his hideous and untimely departure from Paradise.
A recent update from Asia has now confirmed that Inamura is set to stay at FC Tokyo, who took the full-back on a temporary loan deal from the Bhoys, which has been very successful judging by the latest information received.
According to sources online, Inamura will complete a €1.5 million (£1.3 million) move back to his homeland this window, with Celtic set to seal a tidy profit on the star Rodgers claimed he wouldn’t like to see face Champions League-level attackers.
🚨Exclusive: FC Tokyo has finalized the permanent transfer of Hayato Inamura from Scottish club Celtic. An agreement has already been reached between the clubs. The transfer fee is estimated at €1.5 million. done deal 100% #稲村隼翔
— Kazu Kakiuchi (@kazubaggio) June 6, 2026
Paul Gillespie
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1 Comment
Highlights how poor our player development process still remains, more than anything else imo?
Still able to make profits within our player trading model, no matter how small, is nothing but covering up just how poor our player development still remains imo?
With Tierney, Saracchi and scales offering the 3rd choice LB option, there was little chance of actual playing time available for Hayato?
Personally don’t disagree with having potential 3rd choice options available within our squad building process myself. Was beneficial to the likes of Donovan, Murray and Osmand last season all the same?
We like this term project signings, but they can play a part also, within our squad building process, for an entire season, with the amount of matches involved within the footballing calendar these days now.
So potential injuries, do have to be covered also, something we didn’t cover particularly well for ourselves last season, in a number of positions imo?
Maybe giving our own youngsters the opportunity, moreso than trying to make profits within our player trading model, without any real form of player development on show for ourselves, at great levels anyway?
Something MoN has hinted at already, and hopefully it’s applied, mainly due to where we potentially stand, upon the 8 homegrown quota rule for a 25man European squad still imo?