Celtic midfielder Yosuke Ideguchi says he’s “absolutely determined” to be more involved next season - and wants to add goals to his game like Reo Hatate.
The 25-year-old arrived from Gamba Osaka in January alongside J-League stars Reo Hatate and Daizen Maeda, and after an injury-plagued start to life at the Hoops, he struggled to break into Celtic’s midfield for the final few months of the season. Ideguchi made a short cameo from the bench on the final day of the season as Postecoglou guided Celtic to the Scottish Premiership title.
Nir Bitton departed the club after almost a decade this summer while Ismaila Soro and James McCarthy have yet to impress the Australian and Ideguchi is out to prove he's ready for more responsibility. He said in an interview with Japanese outlet Number Web: “I had always wanted to go abroad again. When Celtic contacted me last fall, I made an immediate decision. The last time I was abroad for a year and a half, I only felt frustrated. I was determined to see how much I could do. I have a strong desire to make up for it.
“I was out of action for almost six months at Leonosa (on loan from Leeds), which was tough. After that I had some injuries, so I went back to Japan in a way that wasn’t ideal for me.
"This will be my second attempt (in Europe) at Celtic. I am absolutely determined to get a result. Here at Celtic, it is easy to blend in as a club, and above all, there is a lot of respect for Japanese players because Kyogo Furuhashi has achieved results before me.
“Reo (Hatate) is also in the same position. Having a Japanese player in the team makes it easier, but it is also a limited position. I think it’s great that Reo got results first, but of course it’s frustrating [not to play]. In order to secure a permanent position here, I have to show my play and features more fully. Celtic’s football is very aggressive, so if I were to show my strengths, it would be in switching between offense and defence. I hope I can make the switch from defence to attack and from attack to defence. There are many offensive players in midfield, so I hope to bring out my strengths which are different from those.”
Ideguchi also insisted he wants to add more goals and assists to his game. He's yet to score for Celtic although did net 16 for Gamba Osaka and has been on the scoresheet twice for Japan - one of them coming against Ange Postecoglou's Australia in World Cup qualifying.
Postecoglou previously described that as a "bitter moment" and Ideguchi laughed: "I don't get that goal often. I think the results of goals and assists are important, but it's also difficult for me. It's not easy because I'm not a very aggressive player. It's just a required part, so I want to aim for it."
