This season, he has not played a single minute.
While Celtic and their city rivals are engaged in a fierce battle for the Scottish Premiership title, all eyes have been focused on the transfer window as it appears that a forgotten player will soon leave Parkhead.
Celtic hand advantage to Rangers
With Celtic and Rangers both in the running for the championship, the Scottish Premiership appears to be set up for an exciting conclusion for the first time in a long time. Although the competition is not usually close, Celtic’s once sizable lead at the top has been diminished by recent draws with Kilmarnock and Aberdeen.
Having led Rangers by a considerable margin for the majority of the season and been the clear favourites to win the league, Brendan Rodgers’ team is now under tremendous pressure to win the league. Celtic will have looked to this match as a chance to get back on top of the standings, with a trip to Ibrox scheduled for the beginning of April.
Celtic’s lack of European football gives them an advantage over their Glasgow rivals. Rangers must balance their league and cup campaigns with the latter phases of the Europa League, whereas Celtic can concentrate just on their domestic competitions, which may provide them an advantage.
One man who has yet to feature in all this however is Yuki Kobayashi, and he is now seeking greener pastures away from Scotland.
Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke was the first to disclose that Kobayashi is considering makin
g out-of-window moves away from Parkhead. Last week, it appeared as though the 23-year-old might be leaving Celtic, but a transfer to HJK Helsinki in Finland fell through at the last minute. According to O’Rourke, well-placed sources within the team have informed him that Kobayashi is keen to leave the Glasgow giants and is still free to consider other offers.
In truth, it is no wonder why Kobayashi is pursuing other avenues, as the central defender has appeared in green and white on just seven occasions since his arrival from Vissel Kobe in November 2022. His last action for Celtic came in May 2023, with this season bringing about zero opportunities for the former Japan youth international.
For a brief period of games at the conclusion of the last campaign, the 23-year-old Kobayashi started in the centre of defence and received high marks for his efforts. However, things weren’t always this way. Speaking to reporters following a convincing 4-1 victory against Kilmarnock in April 2023, former Hoops manager Ange Postecoglu praised his player, saying:
“I felt he was excellent. They were physical, and playing on the surface wasn’t easy. It was nice to give him 90 minutes, but he has improved as a player and hasn’t made a mistake in any of the games that he has played.”
Kobayashi’s once bright future at Parkhead has now collapsed, and it’s unlikely that he will ever don the recognisable green and white stripes again. Hopefully, the defender will regularly put in the performances he is capable of given the chance to play regular games anywhere.
