Yuki Kobayashi is set to leave Celtic on loan in January, it has been reported.

The defender has yet to appear under Brendan Rodgers since his summer return to Parkhead.

The 23-year-old arrived on a free from Vissel Kobe last January under Ange Postecoglou. He made just seven appearances, though.

Now, the Scottish Sun says several J League clubs are prepared to offer him a return to Japan after just 12 months in Scotland.

The report states the centre-half would be keen on returning to Vissel Kobe, but that numerous clubs are eyeing him up, with managers in his homeland still rating him highly.

Kobayashi was set to be allowed to leave under Rodgers in the summer, however, he picked up an injury that prevented any potential exit.

He's returned to full fitness and last week featured in Cammy Kerr's Dundee testimonial for Celtic B.

The Japanese defender is behind Cameron Carter-Vickers, Liam Scales, Maik Nawrocki, Nat Phillips, Stephen Welsh and Gustaf Lagerbielke in the pecking order, so he will hope to have a move lined up by the time the window opens in around six weeks.

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Speaking last month, Brendan Rodgers admitted the winter window will be more focused on moving players on from the club than bringing players in.

He said: “There will be players who will be here for six months and won’t have played. It’s no fault of them. The squad is a lot bigger than I would want.

“I think that there will be more players who will look to go out and get game time.

“After the last window shut, it was a case of speaking to some of the players that didn’t get out. I said, ‘Let’s see how we go over the next six months. If it doesn’t work out with game time, then of course we’ll look at it in January’.

“Some of those players have had game time and will be happy, while others will feel they want to play.”