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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
Mark Walker

Hayato Inamura teases Celtic move in Albirex Niigata 'overseas transfer' farewell

Hayato Inamura has penned an emotional farewell message to his club in Japan as he prepares to move to Glasgow.

The defender, 23, is poised to leave Japanese side Albirex Niigata after playing in the weekend's 4-0 defeat to Machida Zelvia.

He's expected to arrive in Scotland this week and thanked his club in Japan ahead of being the latest Asian star to move to Celtic.

He said: "I have decided to transfer overseas. As a result, I will be leaving the club. First of all, I am sorry for making this decision when the team is in a difficult situation.

"I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the supporters for the love they have shown me over the past two years.

"When I heard my name being chanted at the opening game of this season, I felt a great sense of responsibility and awareness. I wanted to make this team win, and I wanted to make all the supporters smile every week. This feeling was my driving force.


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"The atmosphere at the club is one of a big family. That is why I wanted to convey my passion for football and my feelings for the team on the pitch at this welcoming club.

"However, I came to the conclusion that it would be best to challenge myself overseas at this time. I know that not everyone will be happy to see me off, but I will fight tooth and nail so that one day you will all think that this decision was the right one and feel proud of me.

"I would like to thank everyone involved with Albirex Niigata for the support that allowed me to grow here. It is thanks to all of you that I was able to build the foundation as a professional football player.

"I will take all the experiences I have gained in Niigata to heart and head towards new challenges. I will do my best to make everyone proud. It was a short time of about two years, but thank you so much!"

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