Celtic's Japan transfer options: 'Rough diamond' and intelligent left-footed centre-back

The Japanese top flight is not short of talent, as Celtic fans have already witnessed with their recent acquisitions, and the right players have been found to have thrived in Europe when paired with the right clubs.

Here, we will look at three players who could be good value additions for Postecoglou...

Yuki Kobayashi (Vissel Kobe)

Nationality: Japanese; Age: 21; Position: Centre-back; Preferred foot: Left; Height: 6ft 1in; TransferMarkt Value: £540,000

Yuki Kobayashi of Vissel Kobe would be a smart and cheap left-footed centre-back option for Celtic if they were to go for him. The Japanese defender played for the national under-20 team at the 2019 under-20 World Cup and is a former team-mate of Kyogo's at the J1 League side.

Kobayashi is a versatile player who can also slot in at left-back as well and has done so fairly regularly for Vissel Kobe this season. As the heatmap shows, he isn't what you'd term a true ball carrier who spends time in the opposition half while at centre-back but he is a good passer.

As you can see from the visualisation above, Kobayashi is a high-volume passer and has a very high pass success rate to go with it. However, this is mainly down to him playing passes over shorter distances and being a bit safe when he is on the ball.

Although short passing is his bread and butter, he can go long and set runners off down the flanks when given time and space on the ball. He is not much of a ball progressor but that might potentially be down to a lack of confidence rather than a lack of ability.

The Japanese youngster is comfortable playing out from the back and is also calm under pressure. He is very much suited to a slower pace of build-up but has it in him to make decisions quicker than he often needs to. Although he is not the fastest of centre-backs out there, he has decent enough recovery pace and the intelligence to cut off attacks.

Kobayashi reads the game well and is a good tracker of runs from opposition forwards. He is not one who commits himself in one-v-one situations - or in general - and tends to slow it down and wait for the moment to pounce and intercept. His interception numbers are no fluke either, reinforcing his ability to read situations well and act smartly.

Despite that, he does tend to go to ground often and his tendency to physically tussle with opposition players ends in him conceding fouls. He is also good in the air but his headers can sometimes lack control due to his leap and the timing of his jump. That is an undoubted area for improvement.

With Kobayashi, Celtic wouldn’t be getting a 'ready to dazzle' player but one with the potential to start for European calibre clubs.

Read more: Celtic's Sweden transfer options

Ryotaro Araki (Kashima Antlers)

Nationality: Japanese; Age: 20; Position: Winger/attacking midfielder; Preferred foot: Right; Transfermarkt Value: £850,000

Kashima Antlers have some diamonds in their team and Ryotaro Araki is one of them. With his contract expiring at the end of January 2023, Araki is a player that Celtic should actively be looking at. Despite the raw aspect in some parts of his game, courtesy of him being young and in his development phase, he is going to add value and versatility to any squad he joins.

Araki has been used more centrally this season, playing as an advanced midfielder in a 4-4-2 for Kashima. Despite him playing down either wing in the past, the youngster is more suited to a central role where he can influence the game more. A lack of elite pace is another reason why he might be best progressing in the midfield rather than the flanks.

Despite his lack of pace, Araki is technically solid with good footwork. His ability to find spaces and drop in to receive and pull strings stands out. In addition, he is good at getting away from players even in tight surroundings. Despite not being the most creative this season, he has still put up good numbers in the last calendar year when it comes to threatening passes.

Araki also has more shots per 90 minutes than the average J1 League and SPFL player in his position. He doesn’t mind shooting from outside the box when there is a gap and the ball sits up well for him. His crossing is another good asset but the biggest weakness in his game is his lack of physicality. Despite that, he still shows aggressiveness in his press and often sticks his leg out to nick the ball off opposition players.

At only 20 years old, the team that signs Araki could potentially be hitting the jackpot. As for the player himself, Celtic would be a good club for his development and the style would also suit him as he seeks to reach another level.

Ayase Ueda (Kashima Antlers)

Nationality: Japanese; Age: 23; Position: Striker; Preferred foot: Right; Height: 5ft 11in; TransferMarkt Value: £1.08million

Celtic already have Kyogo and Giorgos Giakoumakis competing for the centre forward spot but Kashima's Ayase Ueda would be a good option to add.

Ueda’s style of play is that of a classic centre forward with excellent movement. However, his numbers speak highly of him with the sheer amount of non-penalty goals per 90. Not only is he scoring but also consistently getting himself into good areas, as reflected in his non-penalty expected goals.

He is an instinctive player with an eye for goal. This can actually be one of his letdowns as well as it can lead to him being a tad too selfish in good areas. However, this is how some strikers are and Ueda’s ability to get the best out of nothing makes him a good prospect despite that trait.

The images above show one of his recent goals where he uses the run from his team-mate to get the ball into a shooting area and surprises the keeper with an early shot. The power and pace in the attempt helped it go into the back of the net. He is, in general, an adept finisher and averages a 44.1 per cent shots on target percentage over his career.

Additionally, Ueda is good at holding off his marker and then turning effectively to get past him and run forward. He is neither the paciest nor the tallest of strikers but his movement and intelligence make up for these potential deficiencies. He often uses this intelligent running to generate a good leap in the air and get good headers towards the goal.

The above images show his anticipation and good movement inside the box to get on the end of the crosses. Ueda might find it harder in Europe up against some stronger players but the right move would still get the best out of him.

The 23-year old got called up to the national team in the recent international break in March and that is the result of his good performance. He was once again named in the Blue Samurai squad for the upcoming friendlies - alongside both Kyogo and Maeda.

Ueda would potentially find himself as a backup option for Celtic initially but, whether at Parkhead or elsewhere, it won't be long before he makes a switch to Europe.