Soccer Football - AFC Champions League - Group J - Kitchee v Vissel Kobe - Chang Arena, Buriram, Thailand - May 1, 2022 Kitchee's Cleiton in action with Vissel Kobe's Yuki Kobayashi REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha
Celtic have almost certainly tied up their first transfer deal of the January window, with Japanese club Vissel Kobe admitting that centre back Yuki Kobayashi will “almost certainly” leave on freedom of contract.
It will be Ange’s first signing from the J-League since last January when we secured the signings of three players, two of whom were instrumental in helping us to the title. This is a market we do, of course, know well and the manager’s judgement here is trusted absolutely.
This is further proof that our club is operating on a different level from which it used to, when all of our transfer business went to the final day. Ange has said, just this week, that he regards the January deals to be virtually over the line.
“”We have a strategy in terms of making sure we are always looking to improve our squad and improve the way we do things,” he said. “Every window gives you that opportunity. We’ve had some plans in place for January for a while now. Hopefully over the next few weeks we will be able to conclude some of that.”
It really is remarkable that this club – which for long dithered over this stuff – has got its act together so comprehensively as this. That is a tribute to Ange, yes, but also to those in charge of the club for having the good sense to grant this man the unrestricted freedom that he has been afforded to pull all the threads of his ambition together.
In terms of hard numbers, he is already the most well supported Celtic manager of all time. That his strike rate when it comes to successfully integrating players into this team, and that he has found so many with a high re-sale value means that he will continue to be supported if this Celtic board knows what’s good for it. The signs are that they do.
More gnashing of teeth down Govan way….. Well done Ange. HH
A wee point made at the end, this board has backed ange unlike previous boards so well done to them and keep it going
A CH, DM and LB for me are still required. Looks like CH is in the list. Not convinced we have DM and LB cover fully sorted yet despite recent signings in these areas. Rumour was Ange was also looking for another CF so interesting to see how this window pans out.
Getting him in January means he can bed in, and we will know well in advance if he is good enough to handle the Champion’s League, we certainly need to improve on what we already have in that area. A LB and a CF will also be a bonus for the same reasons,
DM is a definite and another CF would be a bonus. I had hoped big Olli or Guchi would have fulfilled the DM role but after Sydney well…keep looking.
We must get a good result against the Toffees to help restore some kudos. Cmon a Hoops
Can’t judge Olli or Guchi yet.
Starfelt made a brilliant saving tackle to stop a Sydney goal. He mustn’t be underestimated as a centre half when defending. But neither him nor CCV are tremendously commanding in the air, so unless the Japanese boy is, we have not solved a glaring problem with signing him.
For me it’s our defending in the right back and left back areas where we are weakest against good teams.
Juranovic and Ralston are doing great going forward, but they need to positionally improve near to their own box. And the second Sydney goal, coming from our left back area was just pathetic. No pressure on the guy at all as he teed up his lob.