The January transfer window is fast approaching and Celtic look set to offload a plethora of players either on loan or on permanent moves.

Brendan Rodgers has already admitted the winter window will be focused more on moving players on from the club than bringing players in.

The Northern Irishman previously stated: “There will be players who will be here for six months and won’t have played. It’s no fault of them. The squad is a lot bigger than I would want. I think that there will be more players who will look to go out and get game time.

“After the last window shut, it was a case of speaking to some of the players that didn’t get out. I said, ‘Let’s see how we go over the next six months. If it doesn’t work out with game time, then of course we’ll look at it in January’.

“Some of those players have had game time and will be happy, while others will feel they want to play.”

READ MORE: Yuki Kobayashi 'set for' Celtic January transfer exit

One such player who could be heading for the exit door is Yuki Kobayashi. The Japanese defender has yet to appear under Brendan Rodgers since his summer return to Parkhead and is set to be allowed to leave on loan.

The 23-year-old arrived on a free from Vissel Kobe last January under Ange Postecoglou and has made just seven appearances in his time in Scotland.

Several J League clubs are reputed to be prepared to offer him an escape route back to Japan after just 12 months in Scotland.

The centre-half is keen on returning to his former employers but with numerous clubs are eyeing him up, it is testament to his popularity back home.

Ironically Kobayashi was set to be allowed to leave under Rodgers in the summer, however, he picked up an injury that prevented any potential exit.

He has since returned to full fitness and last week featured in Cammy Kerr's Dundee testimonial for Celtic B.

However the player has fallen way down the clubs defensive pecking order and is currently behind the likes of Cameron Carter-Vickers, Liam Scales, Maik Nawrocki, Nat Phillips, Stephen Welsh and Gustaf Lagerbielke as he searches for some valuable game time.

A loan move could well be the solution that best suits all parties concerned by the time the January window rolls around in six weeks time.

Join Tony Haggerty and Ryan McGinlay in the video below as they discuss the latest Celtic news.