Kanji Okunuki scouted by Celtic - Could Nürnberg winger be next Japanese star?

Kanji Okunuki is being monitored by Celtic as interest grows in the Nürnberg winger ahead of the January transfer window. Transfermarkt understands that the Scottish Champions have sent scouts to observe the 24-year-old in action for the 2.Bundesliga side on several occasions this season. Okunuki only joined Nürnberg this summer from Omiya Ardija for €300,000 but his recent impressive performances have generated attention from a number of clubs.

The versatile attacker has scored four goals and provided two assists across 15 appearances this season as Nürnberg push for a play-off place. Okunuki endured a difficult start as he acclimatised to German football but he’s improved gradually and he received a call-up for Japan in October for the double-header against Japan and Tunisia, but he wasn't handed his debut.

Okunuki’s market value has risen from €300,000 to €800,000 since moving to Nüremberg and while they don’t want to sell in January, Marius Soyke - German football expert at Transfermarkt - believes they’d need to cash in if a lucrative offer arrives.

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“Okunuki had a bit of a rough start, which was unsurprising; new league, new country and a team that still had to find itself,” Soyke admitted. “Although, of course, he had already had some experience in Central Europe in Poland. In the meantime, however, he has become an integral part of the starting eleven. On the left wing, he regularly shows his strengths, which lie above all in dribbling, quick feints and acceleration.

“He is basically the prototype of an old-school winger, but I would say that he would need to improve a bit physically in order to compete in a league like the Scottish Premiership - Celtic will have a plan to make sure that happens quickly," Soyke said. "From what I've heard Nürnberg plan to keep him in the January transfer window because they hope he'll increase his market value even further until the end of the season with some international call-ups from Japan. But if a good offer comes in January they can't afford not to take it if they don't sell anyone else, because they’ve got some great young talents with lots of suitors.”

Celtic have recruited Japanese players to great effect in recent seasons with Kyogo Furuhashi and Reo Hatate becoming revelations since their arrivals. Daizen Maeda has also impressed with all three players earning international recognition and Celtic also have scouted the Asian market extensively with the additions of several South Korean players. 

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Ange Postecoglou’s vast experience in Japanese football was vital in identifying Kyogo, Hatate and Maeda and the current Tottenham Hotspur boss helped them acclimatise to the demands of Scottish football. Striker Kyogo has netted 62 goals for Celtic and his market value has surged from €2m to €14m since joining the club. Hatate’s value has also increased substantially from €800,000 to €11m since joining Celtic and Maeda’s has also risen to €6m from €1.1m since his initial loan-deal to the Scottish giants in January 2022.

Luis Palma and Yang Hyun-Jun have both impressed since Celtic signed them this summer to bolster their wide options but Okunuki is also on their radar. Okunuki spent last season on-loan in Poland with Gornik Zabrze scoring four goals in 26 appearances and Michael Sroka, Polish football expert at Transfermarkt, insists his spell was successful.

“He left a good impression,” he confirmed. “He was pretty fast and had good stamina. Gornik wanted to keep him, but they could not afford the buy-out option of €400,000 at the end of the loan. It was bad timing for them, however, because they sold Szymon Wlodarczyk for over €2m to Sturm Graz shortly after they passed on signing Okunuki.”