CHRIS SUTTON believes that Ange Postecoglou has already brought a replacement for the departing Nir Bitton to the club in the January window.

The former Celtic striker believes that Yosuke Ideguchi has been brought in to fill the gap Bitton will leave.

The midfielder has only started once since he arrived at Parkhead; this was against Alloa in the Scottish Cup. He looked to be a tidy player. However, his game was ended abruptly after a crunching tackle saw him limp off the pitch.

Since his return from injury, he’s had a few run out towards the end of games; again, looking to be a decent player.

Before news of Bitton’s departure, Ange revealed that fans could expect to see more of Ideguchi next season. Looking back, this can be seen as a hint to the manager’s plans.

Sutton thinks the same. Writing in the Daily Record, Sutton shared his belief that Guchi would step up to take Bitton’s place, stating;

“When it comes to replacing Bitton, it is, of course, worth noting that he was not a first pick. Not a regular starter. It’s an easier shift.

“Looking at Ideguchi’s CV, he looks the one who is being earmarked to fulfil that task. The Japanese has not as yet had an opportunity to show anyone what he is made of at Parkhead.

“He was just settling into the squad when suffering a bad injury on that rough night in Alloa and that made him a spectator for virtually the rest of the campaign, apart from a couple of short outings from the subs bench.

“With a rest and a full pre-season under his belt, we’ll get a better idea soon enough.”

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