Ange Postecoglou has another J-League gem in his crosshairs as Celtic look to Ryotaro Ito as their latest signing from the Asian market.
Record Sport exclusively revealed the 25-year-old is on the agenda as the Treble-chasing Hoops look to strengthen their squad for a tilt at the Champions League next season. They've had well-documented success raiding Japan under Postecoglou, with Kyogo, Reo Hatate and Daizen Maeda in particular all smash-hits while misfit Yosuke Ideguchi has been the only definite failure among their six additions from the Land of the Rising Sun.
Ito has caught the eye in an impressive breakthrough year in the top flight having torn the J2 League apart with Albirex Nigata last season and the goals and assists have been flowing since their promotion. But who is Ito, and do Celtic fans have reason to be excited?
Let's take a look.
Who is Ryotaro Ito?
Something of a late boomer, Ito is in the midst of his first season of consistent top flight football aged 25. But he is making up for lost time.
Having notched 20 goal involvements in 42 games in the second tier last season, he's been one of the players of the year in the J-League with six goals in 14 appearances from his attacking midfield role. Virtually everything his side do go through him - he's been involved in 62 per cent of their goals this season and has failed to start just once.
His age and inexperience relative to that may sound an alarm bell but similar questions were asked of Reo Hatate who is the same age and had played fewer senior games by the time he joined Celtic - albeit a higher percentage of those were in the top flight. Postecoglou though has fostered an environment he would settle into nicely and will be more concerned with Ito's ability and commitment than the number of J-League appearances he has racked up.
What sort of player is he?
Fans on social media have drawn comparisons between Ito and Hatate and that's understandable given the way both classy playmakers operate between the lines. Stylistically though you would argue he is closer to the Jota mould than any of the current Celtic midfield.
Off the ball, he does roughly the same job as the Portuguese superstar does for Celtic. He recovers the ball in the opposition half the same amount (3.49 per 90 vs 3.41), while when in possession, he posts up a similar xG and has registered the same number of assists per 90...no small feat considering Jota has 11 this season.
Ito has played in a more central role so it's no surprise to hear he crosses the ball less often and prefers a direct through ball. He also dribbles about half as often as Jota, preferring to move the ball on quickly after receiving it, although that could change if deployed as part of the front three.
What can Celtic fans expect?
Whether Ito would play in that advanced forward position or as part of the midfield remains to be seen but it speaks to his ability and versatility that you could see him doing either to devastating effect. He's one of the best controllers of the ball in Japan and rarely gives the ball away - he's found the mark with 85 per cent of his passes this season - and that's matched with the physical ability and determination needed to flourish in the engine room.
The position he takes up in the Albirex team is one Celtic don't really use - this season he's been an out-and-out No.10 - and his natural ability in that position would add another string to the Postecoglou bow. It could be especially useful in games against stubborn Premiership opposition where Celtic could relinquish some midfield control in exchange for an extra body in the final third.
An intriguing blend of Jota and Hatate, devastating from set pieces and adept at long range through balls that can pick oppositions apart in the blink of an eye, Ito is something different altogether. And while his lack of top flight experience may raise a question or two, it's easy to see why he's been picked out as the latest J-League star who could thrive at Celtic Park.
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