Celtic-bound defender Hayato Inamura was named in the starting XI for Albirex Niigata as they suffered a bruising 4-0 defeat at home to Machida Zelvia on Sunday afternoon.

The 23-year-old played the full 90 minutes in what’s widely expected to be his final outing for the club.

It was a grim occasion for Niigata, whose defensive frailties were on full display as Machida ran riot at the Denka Big Swan Stadium. The loss leaves Niigata languishing in 19th place in the J1 League, locked deep in relegation trouble.

Reports in Japan earlier this week indicated that this fixture would likely be Inamura’s last before sealing a move to Celtic, with the transfer expected to be completed early next week.

The centre-back is tipped to travel to Scotland in the coming days to undergo a medical and finalise terms.

Inamura has emerged as one of Albirex’s most consistent performers over the first half of the season. Comfortable on the left side of a central defensive pairing, he’s featured in 15 league matches and impressed with his positional sense and passing range.

Sunday’s defeat was hardly a glowing send-off, but it doesn’t appear to have dented Celtic’s belief in his long-term potential.

Brendan Rodgers has been keen to strengthen his back line ahead of a demanding campaign which includes Champions League qualifiers.

Inamura is set to become the fourth addition of the summer window, following the returns of Kieran Tierney and Ross Doohan, and the signing of Swedish attacker Benjamin Nygren.

Celtic’s recent track record with J-League signings has been largely successful. The club’s link with the Japanese market, bolstered by prior managerial and scouting connections, has delivered key stars like Kyogo, Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate. Inamura now appears poised to follow a similar path.

While his final appearance in Japan will not be fondly remembered, Inamura’s move to Glasgow offers a fresh start and a step up.

For Celtic, it represents a calculated addition to bolster squad depth and improve the defence, particularly on the left side where balance has been lacking.

Assuming the final steps of the transfer go through smoothly, Inamura could be joining up with the squad in time for pre-season preparations, giving Rodgers an early look at how the defender can adapt to the demands of Scottish football.