Hayato Inamura

Hayato Inamura
Personal information
Date of birth (2002-05-06) 6 May 2002 (age 24)
Place of birth Tokyo, Japan
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Positions
Team information
Current team
 FC Tokyo
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)
2025–2026 Celtic 1 (0)
2026 → FC Tokyo (loan) 16 (0)
2026– FC Tokyo 0 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 9 May 2026

Hayato Inamura (稲村 隼翔, Inamura Hayato; born 6 May 2002) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as left-back or centre-back for J1 League club FC Tokyo.

Career

Early career

Born in Japan's capital, Tokyo, Inamura played there for Gekkouhara SC and the U-15 of FC Tokyo, at their Fukagawa unit. After studying at the Maebashi Ikuei High School in Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture, Inamura enrolled at the Toyo University in 2021.

Albirex Niigata

In his third year of university, he was offered a contract with J1 League club Albirex Niigata, beginning in the 2025 season. However, due to his potential, he joined the team in 2024 as a designated special player. 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. 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. In December 2024, he helped Toyo University to the 2024 All Japan University Football Championship title, their first time winning the championship.

Celtic

Inamura left Albirex Niigata on 29 June 2025, in order to facilitate a move to an unnamed foreign club. On 4 July 2025, Inamura signed for Scottish Premiership club Celtic on a four-year deal. He made his debut on 23 August against Livingston, but did not make another appearance afterwards.

FC Tokyo

During the January transfer window, he was loaned back to Japan with J1 League side FC Tokyo for the remainder of the season.

On 28 June 2026, having made just a solitary appearance for Celtic, Inamura left the Parkhead side to join FC Tokyo on a permanent deal.

Style of play

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.

Career statistics

As of 21 August 2026
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Albirex Niigata 2024 J1 League 1200070—190
2025 1611000—171
Total 2811070—361
Celtic 2025–26 Scottish Premiership 1000000010
FC Tokyo (loan) 2026 J1 League 160000000160
FC Tokyo 2026–27 J1 League 2000000020
Career total 311107000391

References

  1. 1 2 Hayato Inamura at WorldFootball.net
  2. 1 2 3 "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.
  3. 1 2 "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.
  4. ↑ "【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.
  5. ↑ "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.
  6. ↑ "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.
  7. ↑ "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.
  8. ↑ "Hayato Inamura: I am excited to join Celtic". celticfc.com. 4 July 2025. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  9. ↑ "Celtic sign Japanese centre-back Inamura". bbc.co.uk. 4 July 2025. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  10. ↑ Sinat, Patrick (2 October 2025). "Brendan Rodgers' message to exiled Celtic duo Shin Yamada and Hayato Inamura". 67 Hail Hail.
  11. ↑ "Celtic's Hayato Inamura joins FC Tokyo on loan". BBC Sport. 4 January 2026.
  12. ↑ ""There really was a difference in football ability," Hayato Inamura". The Celtic Star. 7 January 2026.
  13. ↑ "Hayato Inamura leaves Celtic to join FC Tokyo permanently". The National. 26 June 2026.
  14. ↑ "Celtic player labelled a 'club signing' by Brendan Rodgers exits after one game". Glasgow Times. 26 June 2026.
  15. ↑ Hayato Inamura at Soccerbase