Brendan Rodgers gives blunt assessment of Hayato Inamura
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers delivered a blunt explanation of why summer signing Hayato Inamura was excluded from his Champions League squad.
The 23-year-old Japanese defender joined on a four-year deal from J-League side Albirex Niigata in June, having moved up a level from university football in 2024.
He is yet to make his competitive debut and will not do so in the Champions League play-off against Kairat Almaty after being left out of Rodgers' squad.
"It's very easy. He's not quite at the level, as of yet, that I would expect," the Celtic manager explained.
"The plan for Ina was to come in and train and see where he was at, with the possibility of going out on loan, because he's only had a year's football.
"He came in as a centre-half/left-back, but his defensive qualities aren't at the level that would see me put him in against Lamine Yamal if I had to. It's as simple as that. So that's why he's not involved.
"He's played in some really good games, against Cork and Queen's Park, but the reality is that's the level that we play, you get 80 per cent of the ball.
"But we also need a player that can defend. And we're hoping that over the couple of years, with experience and with maybe a loan, that that can take place. But at this very, very moment, that's why he's not in the squad. It's as simple as that."
--
Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.