Blog

Celtic have today announced the signing of highly rated young Japanese centre back Yuki Kobayashi from Vissel Kobe on a 5 year deal.

The 22 year old defender plays for Kyogo’s former club in his native Japan, and he is manager Ange Postecoglou’s 5th signings from the country, joining Kyogo, Maeda, Hatate and Ideguchi to currently play for the hoops under Big Ange.

Kobayashi has not yet played for the full national side, but is expected to be an important player for them in the years to come.

The player is apparently most known for his “precise left foot and build-up play” which of course will be very important with the style that Celtic play – building up attacks from the back.

But having watched the video below, he also seems like a tough tackler, quick to the ball, good at interceptions and appears to be a fantastic reader of the game.

And having a left footed centre back is something that a lot of Celtic fans have been crying out for to play alongside CCV, as of course our other centre backs are all right footed.

It is great that Celtic are thinking so far ahead and wasting no time at all to get deals agreed.

It still only November yet and we already have a January signing confirmed.

How time have changed!

Ange said of Kobayashi today on the club’s website:

“We’re really pleased. Yuki is someone that we’ve been following for a while and it was a great opportunity to bring him in. He’s a left-sided centre-back, and they’re hard to find.”

“He’s still young but he’s already had three of four years of senior experience and he’s really keen to come across and test himself in Europe.“

Take a look at Kobayashi in action below.