Hayato Inamura
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 6 May 2002 | ||
| Place of birth | Tokyo, Japan[1] | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Celtic | ||
| Number | 25 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2014 | Gekkouhara SC | ||
| 2015–2017 | FC Tokyo Fukagawa | ||
| 2018–2020 | Maebashi Ikuei High School | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021–2024 | Toyo University | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2024–2025 | Albirex Niigata | 28 | (1) |
| 2025– | Celtic | 0 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12:47, 4 July 2025 (UTC) | |||
Hayato Inamura (稲村 隼翔, Inamura Hayato; born 6 May 2002) is a Japanese footballer who plays as an centre-back for Scottish club Celtic.
Club career
[edit]Early career
[edit]Born in Japan's capital, Tokyo, Inamura played there for Gekkouhara SC and the U-15 of FC Tokyo, at their Fukagawa unit.[2] After studying at the Maebashi Ikuei High School in Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture, Inamura enrolled at the Toyo University in 2021.[2]
Albirex Niigata
[edit]In his third year of university, he was offered a contract with J1 League club Albirex Niigata, beginning in the 2025 season.[3] However, due to his potential, he joined the team in 2024 as a designated special player.[2] He made his debut on 17 April 2024 in the J.League Cup against Iwaki FC, and went on to establish himself in the first team, while also featuring for Toyo University in the Kantō University Soccer League.[4] In his first season he helped the club reach the J.League Cup final, and played the entire game as Albirex Niigata lost 8–7 on penalties after a 3–3 draw in normal time to Nagoya Grampus.[5] In December 2024, he helped Toyo University to the 2024 All Japan University Football Championship title, their first time winning the championship.[6]
Celtic
[edit]Inamura left Albirex Niigata on 29 June 2025, in order to facilitate a move to an unnamed foreign club.[7] On 4 July 2025, Inamura signed for Scottish Premiership club Celtic on a four-year deal.[8][9]
Style of play
[edit]Initially a right-winger who also played as a defensive midfielder, Inamura was converted to centre-back in his second year of high school by coach Kosuke Yamada, who told him to model his game on centre-back Ryotaro Tsunoda.[3]
Career statistics
[edit]Club
[edit]- As of 4 July 2025.
| Club | Season | League | National Cup[a] | League Cup[b] | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Albirex Niigata | 2024 | J1 League | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | 19 | 0 | |
| 2025 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 17 | 1 | |||
| Total | 28 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | 36 | 1 | |||
| Celtic | 2025–26 | Scottish Premiership | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career total | 28 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 1 | ||
- Notes
- ^ Includes Emperor's Cup and Scottish Cup
- ^ Includes J.League Cup and Scottish League Cup
External links
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Hayato Inamura at WorldFootball.net
- ^ a b c "ビッグスワンに舞い降りた「進撃の現役大学生」。アルビレックス新潟・稲村隼翔が描く驚異的な成長曲線" [The "advancing college student" who descended on Big Swan. The astonishing growth curve of Albirex Niigata's Hayato Inamura]. footballista.jp (in Japanese). 26 November 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
- ^ a b "アルビレックス新潟内定の東洋大・稲村隼翔 ハングリー精神を原動力に、乗り越えた壁" [Toyo University's Hayato Inamura, who has signed with Albirex Niigata, overcomes obstacles with a hungry spirit as his driving force]. 4years.asahi.com (in Japanese). 3 June 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
- ^ "【新潟】クラブ初のルヴァン杯準優勝に導いた秋山・稲村を直撃！高校の先輩後輩コンビが語るお互いの素顔" [[Niigata] Interview with Akiyama and Inamura, who led the club to its first-ever Levain Cup runner-up finish! The high school senior-junior duo talk about each other's true selves]. news.nsttv.com (in Japanese). 31 December 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
- ^ "スタンドで見つめたJ1残留決定「やっとぐっすり眠れる」 新潟加入の東洋大DF稲村隼翔「勝たせられる選手に」" [Watching from the stands as the team remains in J1, "I can finally sleep soundly" Toyo University defender Hayato Inamura, who joined Niigata, "I want to become a player who can help us win"]. soccer-king.jp (in Japanese). 9 December 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
- ^ "東洋大・稲村隼翔と新井悠太 はい上がった前橋育英コンビ、インカレ初優勝の原動力に" [Toyo University's Hayato Inamura and Yuta Arai, the rising Maebashi Ikuei duo, are the driving force behind the team's first Intercollegiate Championship victory]. 4years.asahi.com (in Japanese). 1 January 2025. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
- ^ "23歳DF稲村隼翔が海外移籍を前提にチームを離脱「新潟で得たすべての経験を胸に、新たなチャレンジに向かいます」" [23-year-old defender Hayato Inamura has left the team with the intention of transferring overseas. "I will take all the experiences I gained in Niigata with me and embark on a new challenge."]. soccer-king.jp (in Japanese). 30 June 2025. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
- ^ "Hayato Inamura: I am excited to join Celtic". celticfc.com. 4 July 2025. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
- ^ "Celtic sign Japanese centre-back Inamura". bbc.co.uk. 4 July 2025. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
- 2002 births
- Living people
- Association football people from Tokyo
- Japanese men's footballers
- Men's association football central defenders
- J1 League players
- FC Tokyo players
- Shonan Bellmare players
- Celtic F.C. players
- Japanese expatriate men's footballers
- Japanese expatriate sportspeople in Scotland
- Expatriate men's footballers in Scotland
- 21st-century Japanese sportsmen