KRIS COMMONS admits it is a huge bonus for Celtic that they can now tap into the Asian market directly through boss Ange Postecoglou.

The Hoops have already delivered Kyogo Furuhashi who has hit the ground running since moving to Scotland in the summer.

And last week they confirmed the triple signing of another three Japenese stars.

The Parkhead club confirmed on Friday morning that forward Daizen Maeda, 24, will join from Yokohama F. Marinos, initially on loan until the end of the season but with a compulsory purchase clause included which will see him sign a long-term deal.

In addition, midfielder Yosuke Ideguchi, 25, will arrive on a four-and-a-half-year deal from Gamba Osaka and the versatile Reo Hatate, 24, will check in from Kawasaki Frontale, also on a four-and-a-half-year contract.

Postecoglou knows the Japanese scene well following his three years in charge of Yokohama before he took over at Celtic last summer, and he is confident the three players can all thrive in Glasgow.

Commons is also confident and he expects his former team to add even more talents from Asian shores. 

Writing in the Daily Mail, he said: "For Scottish clubs, Japan and indeed much of the rest of Asia has always been a market left largely untapped.

"The likes of Shunsuke Nakamura always felt like the exception rather than the rule. So, too, the South Korean duo of Ki Sungyeung and Cha Du-ri. The less said about Du Wei and Koki Mizuno the better.

"But the thing you have to remember about Nakamura is that he was already well established in European football after three seasons with Reggina in the Italian Serie A prior to Celtic signing him.

"The same applied to Cha Du-ri, who had forged a good career in the German Bundesliga and won almost 80 caps for the South Korean national team, as well as playing in two World Cups.

"So it makes a change for Celtic to go straight to source and get these new players from their clubs in Asia, albeit they did it with Ki from FC Seoul.

"But that's the advantage they now have by employing a head coach with an extensive knowledge of the market in that part of the world.

"If there are any rough diamonds to be found, Postecoglou will know exactly where to look. He could help Celtic unearth a goldmine of exciting new talent."

He continued: "It can be hugely beneficial and profitable for a club to devote a lot of their scouting resources into one specific country or region.

"Shakhtar Donetsk have almost turned it into an art form over the past 20 years, by the way in which they continually sign talented young Brazilians, develop them, and then sell them on for huge profit.

"Clearly there isn't the same depth of talent available in Japan as there is in the likes of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

"But the same principle still applies, albeit on a smaller scale. No one is asking Celtic to sign half-a-dozen young Brazilians every other year.

"It's having the ability to identify young talent at source which is the key. If they can set up the right supply lines and get even just two or three talented Japanese boys every so often, it could prove to be massively beneficial.

"Just over ten years ago, Borussia Dortmund paid around £250,000 for a young lad by the name of Shinji Kagawa from Cerezo Osaka.

"In the space of just two seasons, Kagawa had helped Dortmund win back-to-back Bundesliga titles under Jurgen Klopp and established himself as one of the most gifted midfielders in Europe.

"Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United then came calling, paying a fee in the region of £16m for the little Japanese technician.

"It might not be too long until Celtic are fielding similar big money bids for Kyogo. That's the kind of talent available in the Far East if you know where to look."