Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou reveals plans to go back into Asian transfer market again this summer
ANGE POSTECOGLOU has revealed that he is planning MORE raids on the Asian transfer market.
The Celtic boss already has five Japanese players and South Korean striker Oh Hyeon-gyu in his squad.
And Postecoglou believes his Far East stars – like 29-goal striker Kyogo Furuhashi – could be his best sellers this summer.
The Aussie believes the experience his Japanese and Koreans have had will be better than anything he can offer potential signings in Asia.
He admits there won’t be much rebuilding this summer for a Celtic side who will win their 11th title in 12 seasons with a win over Hearts in Tynecastle this weekend.
But he stressed that his Japanese bhoys can play their part.
Postecoglou said: “The market there will no doubt become increasingly competitive. It is therefore enormously helpful for us to have some trust from people there.
“I think the ones we had at the club definitely help. Not just because we sign players and give them a chance, but the players’ experiences also help.
“The best feedback you can get comes from a stakeholder.
“All the players who have come here appreciate how welcoming everyone has been, how the club has looked after them, how they have enjoyed their time in the city and how the fans have embraced them.
“That’s better ammunition for us when it comes to selling who we are than just trying to tell people what we can offer.
“It’s coming straight from the people involved and I think that’s been tremendously helpful to us.
“The core of the squad will not change for next season.
“We’re looking for areas where we can strengthen and I think there are at least a few.
“But when you go into a summer window you never know where else you might be impacted so whatever the outcome we will make sure we are ready.
“Our goal is to come out of the next window stronger than we go in.”
A win at Tynecastle would give Postecoglou their second title.
The Hoops are hot favorites if there is a Treble win over Inverness Caley Thistle in next month’s Scottish Cup final. Postecoglou and his side will then travel to South Korea and Japan as part of their pre-season.
A friendly with Wolves in Suwon on July 26 has been confirmed, with Japanese games to follow.
Postecoglou is looking forward to returning to the country where he worked for four years.
He said: “I am pleased that we are leaving for personal reasons.
“I was delighted with the trip to Australia that we had and I am excited about a trip to Japan.
“Of course I spent four years there, I know the country and many of the people there very well.
“The most important thing is that this club is expanding its reach. Since we have been recruiting mainly in Japan and Korea over the last 18 months, there is a lot of interest in our club there.
“We want it to grow. We want to attract millions more Celtic supporters and our presence there – especially in Japan – is greatly appreciated.
“We will give back as much as we can by showing the people of these countries how much we appreciate their support. We will also give something back to them by developing their footballers and giving them new experiences.
“They have fantastic facilities, fantastic support and there are great teams to play against.
“I think the players will enjoy it too.”
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