Celtic named transfer trendsetters as Parkhead treasure hunting alerts Premier League chiefs to 'dream' negotiations

Recruitment in Japan by Celtic has got English Premier League chiefs taking notes on how to explore that market themselves.

Bargains are becoming a rare occurrence in the transfer market but with Ange Postecoglou, the Premiership champions certainly bagged a few from the J League. Kyogo Furuhashi, Reo Hatate and Daizen Maeda have all arrived from Japan's top-flight, while Yosuke Ideguchi, Yuki Kobayashi and Tomoki Iwata have also been signed.

Celtic have been active in South Korea too with signings of Oh, Kwon and Yang. Clubs like Arsenal and Brighton also have Japanese stars in Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kaoru Mitoma, but it's the Hoops' transfer dealings that have played a major role in English clubs scouring the Japanese market themselves. Unique Sports Group’s head of operations Ian Ryder - the agent who brokered the deals that brought Tomiyasu from Bologna to Arsenal and Hwang from RB Leipzig to Wolves - told the Athletic: “The success of Celtic and players in the Premier League has helped clubs gain confidence in the market.

“The change in the work permit rules following Brexit, which allow the direct transfer of players from regions that, pre-Brexit, would have been impossible, has also opened up the market. Several English clubs have asked me to go over with them and introduce them to the market or to help connect the pieces in a deal for a player they like on video.

“The clubs are a dream to work with. Trying to get a club to tell you a price for their player in the UK is almost impossible now but (in Japan) they will just give you a number and if you don’t match it then you don’t get the player.”