Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou could dip into the market in the summer transfer to bolster his squad in spite of their domestic success this season.
The Hoops can complete the treble on Saturday if they beat Inverness in the final of the Scottish Cup, after already securing the League Cup and the Scottish Premiership.
However, they are reportedly looking to bolster their attack and midfield in the coming months ahead of the 2023/24 campaign and winger Ryotaro Ito is said to be a target.
The Daily Record claimed that the Albirex Niigata talent is one of the names on Postecoglou's radar heading into the transfer window, as the head coach looks to raid Japan once more.
Celtic's manager could now brutally ditch winger Liel Abada from Parkhead by swooping for Ito as the 25-year-old arriving in Scotland would open the door for a player in the forward areas to depart.
In April, Football Insider reported that the Hoops could cash in on the attacker this summer and that they could rake in a fee of up to £10m for his services.
How has Liel Abada performed this season?
The 21-year-old scored ten goals and provided five assists in 34 appearances in the Premiership and failed to contribute directly to a goal in five outings in the Champions League.
He averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.01 and created 1.1 chances per game in the Scottish top-flight and these statistics show that the wizard was a consistent threat for the Hoops domestically.
The dynamo provided a big goal threat and regularly provided his teammates with opportunities to score from, which shows that the youngster made a significant impact in the final third for Postecoglou.
However, Ito, who can play out wide or through the middle, could come in as a potential upgrade on the Israel international, which would allow the club to bin the current Hoops star.
Who is Ryotaro Ito?
He is a 25-year-old phenomenon who has been in exceptional form in the J1 League in 2023 since earning promotion from the second tier in 2022.
Ito has racked up seven goals and two assists in 15 appearances in the division. The whiz has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.47 and created an eye-catching 3.2 chances per match, which shows that the gem is capable of slicing open the opposition's defence multiple times in each game.
Japanese author Yatao hailed the maestro as a "tremendous talent" and that comment is backed up by the attacking midfielder's sensational form in the J1 League.
Ito has proven himself capable of scoring goals and creating chances on a regular basis whilst maintaining a high standard with his average performance level.
This means that Postecoglou could ditch Abada this summer and not have to worry about losing his production in the final third as the Niigata star could come in and offer more at the top end of the pitch if he is able to adapt to Scottish football.
