Brendan Rodgers confirms that Japanese forward Shin Yamada is on his way to Celtic … but insists he remains in the hunt for another striker

Brendan Rodgers has confirmed that Japanese forward Shin Yamada is on his way to Celtic Park.

He admitted after a 2-0 friendly win over Sporting Lisbon in Portugal on Wednesday night that he still needs more firepower and remains in the hunt for another striker.

But he insisted that former Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard is not on his radar despite being linked with a return. 

Yamada, 25, will join the club in a £1.3million move after departing J-League side Kawasaki Frontale yesterday.

Rodgers said: ‘He’ll have a medical over the next couple of days and we’ll have a look at him. We’ve lost a lot of goals, so we need to replace that. Hopefully, this can be one of a number of players we can bring in that aspect.

‘He’s got intensity and workrate. It’s something the scouts have seen. In terms of the club, we will bring in players to develop and players for now. Even though he’s a bit older, he’s probably one that can give us that intensity and pressure.

Brendan Rodgers insisted, however, that former Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard has not been on his radar

‘I need to look and see him when he comes in and hopefully he can do well. The idea was to bring him in and assess him. He’s a strong boy, but we’d want to add to our front line also.’

Asked about links with Edouard, who looks set to be made available by Crystal Palace, Rodgers was less forthcoming.

‘I’m not worried so much about a big name,’ he said. ‘It’s about the collective of the team. Big names don’t always give you what you need. This team needs hunger, goals and work rate and intensity. Big names don’t always give you that, it’s about big players.

‘I just want players who are hungry to learn but also ready now. There are lots of players linked with us.

‘Odsonne hasn’t been on my radar, to be fair. I obviously know him but it’s about a player who will fit into the structure of the team.’

Rodgers was thrilled with his team’s ‘outstanding’ performance after second half goals from Reo Hatate and substitute Luke McCowan earned Celtic an impressive victory over the Portuguese champions at the Estadio Algarve near Faro.

They delivered a polished display and controlled possession for long spells against the Portuguese champions.

Rodgers told Celtic TV: ‘Performance wise it was outstanding. We made another step in our fitness and tactical idea with some of the players coming in.

Luke McCowan is delighted after scoring second goal in 2-0 win over Sporting Lisbon

Brendan Rodgers described his team’s performance as ‘outstanding’

Reo Hatate had opened the scoring for Celtic in Portugal with a penalty kick

‘Overall it was a very, very good performance against a very good team. Tactically we were excellent with our pressure and pressing and some of our football was outstanding.

‘We maybe lacked a little bit in the final third at times just to finish off some great moves but other than that it was a very, very good workout for us.’

Celtic lined up with Dane Murray in central defence and summer signing Benjamin Nygren in midfield and created the better first-half chances, although goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel pulled off one save at full stretch.

Adam Idah failed to get enough power on two efforts from good opportunities and Daizen Maeda forced a good stop with a powerful volley.

Half-time substitute Johnny Kenny earned Celtic a 47th-minute penalty when he beat a defender to James Forrest’s cross after a slick and purposeful passing move. Hatate converted as the spot-kick went in off the goalkeeper.

Kenny was also involved in the second goal in the 72nd minute with his run and through ball setting up McCowan, who showed good feet before slotting the ball into the bottom corner.