Yosuke Ideguchi kickstarts Celtic transfer outgoings with tidy fee amid tug of war for reborn star

Celtic have started their January sales early with Japanese champions Vissel Kobe agreeing a £870,000 deal to sign forgotten on loan midfielder Yosuke Ideguchi, according to mutiple reports in his homeland.

The 27-year-old was at the centre of a battle between Vissel Kobe and his current loan club Avispa Fukuoka, who Ideguchi helped win the Japanese League Cup this season. And Kobe have reportedly won the battle to sign him after agreeing the fee with Scottish Cup to sign the player officially on January 15, when the J-League transfer window reopens.

The Japanese international midfielder returned to his homeland earlier this year after a frustrating spell in Glasgow. He suffered an ankle break in one of his first games back in March, but recovered quickly and was widely praised for his performances in the J-League.

Kobe needed a replacement for Mitsuki Saito, who has suffered a long-term injury, in midfield and see Ideguchi as a long-term successor for captain and Japanese international Hotaru Yamaguchi, who is now 34. Celtic will even make a tiny profit on the sale of the player, who cost them £850,000 when he signed in 2022 from Gamba Osaka.

But he started just one single game during his time at the club - in a Scottish Cup tie away at Alloa - and made only three sub appearances in the league.