Maeda, Hatate and Ideguchi set for Celtic transfers as three deals agreed for J-League stars
Ange Postecoglou is set to complete the triple signing of the J-League trio.
Celtic are set to complete the signings of Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi in a triple New Year swoop.
And Parkhead boss Ange Postecoglou could yet add even more new signings to his squad in January.
Record Sport understands transfer and personal terms have been agreed for all three Japanese stars.
Maeda and Ideguchi are already in the UK and Hatate is set to travel over the coming days.
The Hoops are also well down the road in getting work permits for the three and want to register the players with the SFA when the transfer window opens.
Postecoglou wanted all three in for the start of the window so they could be part of his squad for the Rangers clash but the moving forward of the winter break means there isn’t the same urgency.
The Celtic boss still wants them in and is hopeful he will get the permission for Maeda, Hatate and Ideguchi to join his group when they return for training next week.
It’s a market that has already been a success for Celtic with the summer signing of Kyogo Furuhashi from Vissel Kobe.
Record Sport revealed on Thursday striker Maeda, 24, agreed a loan deal from Postecoglou’s former club Yokohama F Marinos for the rest of the season with a £1.7million fee agreed to make the switch permanent in the summer.
Deals have also been agreed with Gamba Osaka for midfielder Ideguchi and left-side player Hatate from Kawasaki Frontale. The Celtic boss wanted the majority of his business done at the start of the window but is still looking at other targets.
A move for another wide player and another possible defender haven’t been ruled out. Celtic could also free up funds by moving some fringe and out of favour players on.
The club are open to deals for goalkeeper Vassilis Barkas, who played in the last game against St Johnstone after a Covid outbreak, Boli Bolingoli and Albian Ajeti, who is still recovering from injury.
Ismaila Soro could also come into that equation after falling down the pecking order. Postecoglou also said he’d like to try to do permanent deals to sign Cameron Carter-Vickers from Tottenham and Jota from Benfica.
Celtic have options as part of both loans.