CELTIC have been linked with another Japanese player - and he comes with a recommendation from Shunsuke Nakamura.

CELTIC have been linked with another Japanese player - and he comes with a recommendation from Shunsuke Nakamura.

Yuto Nagatomo is currently making a big name for himself as a defender with FC Tokyo.

But it has been his performances while playing alongside Naka with the Japanese national team headed to next summer's World Cup finals which are predicted to make him the next J-league player to move west.

Nakamura has been so impressed with the rising star, who just turned 23 at the weekend, he is telling anyone who might be in the market for a young defender that they would have no regrets if they took a punt on Nagatomo.

Reports in Japan claim Celtic are already looking closely at him, though no formal approach to his club has been made to date.

Although only 5ft 7ins, Nagatomo is equally adept operating on the right or left and is comfortable with either foot.

He plays most of his games at right back where he can can use his pace to get up and down the field to good effect.

During the summer transfer window, Celtic were in the market for another right-back to provide a challenge to Andreas Hinkel.

Several names were linked to the club. But the window closed without any business being done in this department.

However, the Parkhead club are already looking ahead to the next window, which opens in January, and have concluded a deal to bring midfielder Ki Sung-Jong from FC Korea for around £2million.

With captain of China, Zheng Zhi, signing on the final day of the summer window and joining Japanese midfielder Koki Mizuno in Mowbray's first-team squad, the Asian contingent at the club is growing, and so are the commercial opportunities it brings.

Nagatomo played for Japan throughout their World Cup qualifiers, and came up against Celtic striker Scott McDonald's Australia in two of those games.

He also caught the eye playing for his country in a friendly against Holland in Amsterdam last midweek when his athleticism was a problem for the Dutch.

Nagatomo - who already has 15 caps - only made his debut for FC Tokyo at the start of this season, but the club are aware of his desire to follow Nakamura in moving west to develop his career.

FC Tokyo value him at around £1.5-2m, but a good showing at next summer's World Cup Finals could push that figure up much higher.

Meanwhile, as he prepares to take his squad to Tel-Aviv tomorrow for Thursday's Europa League opener against Hapoel, Celtic boss Tony Mowbray will check on Niall McGinn and Marc Crosas after both players were taken off in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Dundee United suffering from cramp.

Mowbray will also receive an update on Aiden McGeady, who was sent home from the Repuiblic Ireland squad last week suffering from a leg injury.

And after playing 90 minutes in Cork last week, Barry Robson is pushing hard for a return to first-team action since being out with a groin injury since February.