Celtic ready to offload Yosuke Ideguchi in January to make room for incoming transfers
YOSUKE IDEGUCHI is set to be offered the option of a January return to Japan.
The midfielder, 26, has endured an injury-plagued first 12 months at Celtic.
SunSport understands several J-League clubs are monitoring his situation, and could make a move next month.
Ideguchi has made just one start since signing from Gamba Osaka, and finds himself way down the pecking order.
Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate, Matt O’Riley, Aaron Mooy, David Turnbull and Oliver Abildgaard are all ahead of him.
Sead Haksabanovic has also been used in that area by boss Ange Postecoglou.
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Ideguchi has been hit by ankle and leg injuries, and hasn’t played a single minute this season.
He dropped out of the matchday squad before the break and is expected to weigh up his future in the coming weeks.
Gamba Osaka are likely to be open to a third stint for Ideguchi at the club, but Nagoya Grampus could also be interested.
Reports in France are also linking Celtic with a move for French-born Tunisian midfielder Aissa Laidouni.
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The 25-year-old started in all three of Tunisia's group stage matches at the World Cup in Qatar, before they were knocked out.
According to Foot Mercato, the Hoops and Wolfsburg are two clubs to have shown interest in Laidouni, alongside a number of English clubs.
The fee that would be required to force Ferencvaros into a sale is being reported as €4 million (£3.5m).
Elsewhere, former Scotland international Barry Bannan has revealed how he made his dreams come true by signing for boyhood heroes Celtic - in FOOTBALL MANAGER.
And, in a curious twist, he admitted he doesn't even give himself a start.
He told the Owls Heaven podcast that he even has a special boss name he uses to avoid duplication in deals involving himself - and his Brazil-themed alter ego is a harsh taskmaster!
He said: "I signed myself for Celtic a couple of weeks ago when I had a Celtic game, but I actually never played myself.
"I signed, played a few games and then was like, oh-oh.
"I thought I was going to do better than I did! I had to turn my manager head on.
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"I'm not on the transfer list yet but probably at the end of the season, I'll be gone.
He later explained that it was his dislike for repetition that led to his Brazilian-inspired managerial name. He said: "I hate things like that (Barry Bannan signs Barry Bannan) so I put Barry Banninho. I change the ending!"
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