Shin Yamada has become Celtic’s latest summer arrival after the club confirmed the 25-year-old has joined on a four-year deal from J-League side Kawasaki Frontale.
In truth, the transfer has been known for some time, with the Japanese team announcing Yamada was leaving well in advance of the deal being completed.
Brendan Rodgers also provided updates about Yamada when asked about the forward in recent weeks, speaking positively about him, too.
And now that the Celtic manager has finally got his man, Rodgers has delved further into what Celtic fans can expect from Yamada.
Photo by Masashi Hara/Getty ImagesBrendan Rodgers hails Shin Yamada’s ‘power, athleticism and intensity’
Speaking before the deal for the Japanese international was finalised, Rodgers praised Yamada’s intensity and work rate.
After the transfer was officially announced, the Northern Irishman went into more detail.
Speaking to Celtic’s website, Rodgers said: “I know [Yamada] is really keen to make his mark here in European football and deliver for Celtic, and I think he is someone who has the power, athleticism and intensity in his play to do really well for us.”
Hoops fans will also be pleased to note that Rodgers touched on Yamada’s prowess in front of goal, adding: “[Yamada] is a strong player who can score and create goals for others, and I think he is someone who can definitely add an important dimension to our forward line.”
While Yamada has only scored two goals and provided one assist in 21 J-League appearances this term, he did find the back of the net 19 times in 42 games, laying on three assists as well, in the 2024 season.
Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images
Still, that record doesn’t beat that of Daizen Maeda, who scored 22 goals and provided three assists from 36 appearances in his final season in the J-League in 2021.
Interestingly, however, Yamada is quicker than Maeda and Kyogo Furuhashi as well, with the J-League recording the 25-year-old to have a higher sprint speed than his fellow countrymen.
Yamada should therefore bring a great deal of value to Celtic’s work off the ball, working tirelessly and quickly to press in Rodgers’ system.
Shin Yamada will be motivated at Celtic as he eyes 2026 World Cup
Yamada recently made his debut for the Japanese national team, featuring in their 6-1 rout of Hong Kong at the start of July.
After news of his move to Celtic Park was confirmed, Yamada also revealed that his decision to join Celtic was, in part, underpinned by a desire to earn more international caps.
Asked during an interview with Celtic’s official YouTube channel if joining the Bhoys would earn him more caps, Yamada responded: “Yes, definitely.
“To play here, to perform very well here and to score goals will help me to play for the national team, and eventually [play at] the World Cup.”
With the next World Cup just around the corner at the end of the 2025/26 season, Celtic fans can therefore expect Yamada to bring the power, athleticism and intensity that Rodgers has lauded as he attempts to get himself on the plane to the United States.