Celtic confirm Sunday departure with new arrival expected 'in the coming days'

The Parkhead side announced on Sunday morning that defender Hayato Inamura has returned to Japan to join FC Tokyo on loan until the end of the season.

The 23-year-old has made just one appearance for Celtic since joining on a four-year deal from Albirex Niigata last summer.

Former manager Brendan Rodgers revealed Inamura could be sent straight out on loan almost immediately after he arrived in Glasgow for an undisclosed fee in July last year.

Since then, he has featured just once for the first team, playing the entire 90 minutes in a 3-0 league win over Livingston in August.

Addressing his move, Inamura told the FC Tokyo club website: “I decided to join this club after thinking about what I need to achieve my goals. I will do my best to absorb various things from great players, both as a soccer player and as a person, and to perform well.

“When I was a member of U-15 Fukagawa, these words, ‘strong and loved,’ were always the image of the players and team we aimed to be.

“We are still far from that, but I will accept my own weaknesses and the disappointment of last year, gain various experiences, and do my best to become that kind of player.”

African winger set to move from Israel

Meanwhile, Celtic are said to be nearing a deal for Ivory Coast winger Jocelin Ta Bi.

The 20-year old is currently on loan at Hapoel Petah Tikva from Maccabi Natenya, but reports from Israel indicate that Celtic have struck a deal with his parent club for the player to move to Glasgow in the January window.

An unnamed Hapoel Petah Tikva spokesman told the Israeli press: "We have been informed by Maccabi Netanya that there has only been one official offer for Jocelin Ta Bi and it was from Celtic.

"We expect him to leave in the coming days."

The transfer fee is reported to be around £2 million, with £250,000 being paid to his loan club as compensation for terminating his season-long loan early.

Ta Bi, who has two goals and two assists in 20 appearances in the Israeli league this season, is currently sidelined by injury but is expected to return to full fitness in two weeks.

His arrival will mark the second signing under Nancy following the capture of Mexican international Julian Araujo on loan from Bournemouth last week.

Nancy is under enormous pressure after losing six of his first eight matches in charge of Celtic with Saturday's 3-1 home defeat to Old Firm rivals Rangers leaving them six points behind leaders Hearts at the top of the Scottish Premiership and sparking fan protests both inside and outside the stadium.