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Hayato Inamura says he is ‘far from satisfied’ on loan at FC Tokyo.
Brought to Celtic for just £250,000 last summer, the defender made just one senior appearance before being sent back to the J League in January.
Through no fault of his own, he was caught up in a controversy surrounding what Brendan Rodgers described as “club signings”, doubtless a factor in the Irishman’s eventual resignation.
Inamura has now reflected on his form since reuniting with ex-manager Rikizo Matsuhashi in the Japanese capital.
Should Celtic still be shopping in the J-League market?
Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images Celtic’s Hayato Inamura: ‘many things I still need to work on’
The 23-year-old said: “I feel I have really grown as a player during this loan spell.
“But there are only six matches remaining and I don’t think I have played as many games as I want to help me get better.
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Photo by Jose Luis Contreras/Dax Images/NurPhoto via Getty Images
“Yes, I am getting playing time, but I’m far from satisfied with my own performances. There are still many things I need to work on.”
“I believe we have a really good team here and there is a good atmosphere at the club.”
Despite Inamura’s dour tone, FC Tokyo are having a good season, currently sitting second in the Eastern conference of the J League.
The division is in the middle of a historic transition, named the 100 Year Vision League. Instead of a standard season, the first half of 2026 is divided into East and West regional groups of 10 teams.
The primary reason for this is to change the league’s calendar to align with the European schedule of August to May seasons.
This unique tournament is taking place until August, when a regular season will begin. All draws are currently leading to a penalty shootout for an extra point, similar to the Premier Sports Cup group stage in Scotland.
There is no relegation.
Were Celtic wrong to not give Hayato Inamura a chance at Celtic?
Does he still have a future at the club?
Credit: Getty Images/Claudio Villa Celtic’s summer business in 2025
Celtic’s erratic summer recruitment in 2025 saw compatriot Shin Yamada join shortly after Inamura. Despite being older and more experienced, the striker was also deemed a “club signing” by Rodgers.
Further highlighting a confusing transfer window, Jahmai Simpson-Pusey’s season-long loan yielded just one Celtic start, while £4.5 million acquisition Michel-Ange Balikwisha has started just once since September.
The overall strategy, involving figures like Michael Nicholson and Paul Tisdale, reflected poorly on the club’s general transfer process.
Whether we will see a continuation of “club signings” in the future remains to be seen.
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