CELTIC have announced the signings of Japanese trio Daizen Maeda, Yosuke Ideguchi and Reo Hatate as Ange Postecoglou bolsters his injury-hit squad for the second half of the season. 

Postecoglou has returned to the J-League market he knows so well after the success of Kyogo since joining the club from Vissel Kobe in the summer. 

Striker Maeda joins the club on an initial six-month loan from Postecoglou’s former club Yokohama F Marinos, with a compulsory clause to buy at the end of the season for a fee of £1.7m.

Central midfielder Ideguchi joins on a permanent basis from Gamba Osaka, while the versatile Hatate - who can play at left-back or in midfield - will also join on a permanent deal immediately. Both players will sign four-and-a-half year deals.

Delighted Celtic manager Postecoglou said: “We are really pleased to bring in these guys to Celtic and I think they are players who will excite our fans. 

"Clearly I am well aware of their attributes and I think in bringing all three to the club we are bringing even more quality, personality and energy to the squad to work with the players who have done so well for us already this season.

“They are all really at the peak of their careers, ambitious to achieve more success and I am sure at this particular time we will be getting their best years. I am delighted to have secured these players so early in the transfer window, I look forward to working with them and myself, my backroom team and the rest of the squad will be making sure we help them settle into Celtic as quickly as possible.”