Celtic AGREE first January transfer

Cameron Smith
Cameron Smith
  • 29 Dec 2025 08:58 GMT
  • 6 min read
Wilfried Nancy, Celtic, 2025/26
© IMAGO

Celtic have reached an agreement to send summer signing Hayato Inamura on loan to FC Tokyo, according to reports in Japan.

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The 23-year-old became the latest Japanese star to complete a move to Celtic when he arrived at the club for €300,000 in July, but he has struggled for game time so far this season.

Current ETV
Player image Hayato Inamura 
Hayato Inamura 

D (C)

Celtic logo

Celtic

Hayato Inamura 
Hayato Inamura 

D (C)

Celtic

Celtic

€0.6M

ETV Range

€0.5M - €0.7M

Inamura has only made one first-team appearance for Celtic since his arrival in Scotland, while he has been excluded from the matchday squad in 28 of their 30 competitive fixtures in 2025-26.

As a result, he has unsurprisingly been linked with an early Celtic Park exit and the Glasgow giants have now reached a basic agreement to send the 23-year-old on loan to FC Tokyo next month, as per Japanese outlet Daily.

It remains to be seen if Inamura will spend the entire 2026 season with FC Tokyo or whether he returns to Celtic next summer, but a deal has reportedly been finalised for him to temporarily depart the club when the January transfer window opens.

Celtic’s January transfer plan

In addition to Inamura, several other Celtic players could be set to leave the club next month, including Daizen Maeda, Yang Hyun-in, Michel-Ange Balikwisa and Paulo Bernardo.

Meanwhile, Wilfried Nancy’s side are expected to dip into the market for reinforcements as they look to bolster the first-team squad available to their new head coach.

Columbus Crew duo Wessam Abou Ali and Diego Rossi have both been tipped to reunite with Nancy at Celtic Park in January, while the Hoops are interested in signing Evan Ferguson amid rumours his loan spell at AS Roma could be cut short.

Furthermore, Celtic have also been linked with a move for Kilmarnock midfielder David Watson, although they are likely to face significant competition for his signature from arch-rivals Rangers.

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