As Japanese soccer fans prepared to ring in the new year on Friday night, the festivities began early with a volley of signings by Celtic that lit up the night sky all the way from Scotland like green-tinted fireworks.
The first: Yokohama F. Marinos striker Daizen Maeda, the J. League’s joint-top scorer last season and one of its most charismatic talents.
The second: Kawasaki Frontale midfielder Reo Hatate, who represented Japan alongside Maeda at last summer’s Tokyo Olympics and secured his first Best XI selection in the league.