Is Ko Itakura The Perfect Ball-Playing Centre-Back For Celtic? – Data Analysis

Japanese centre-back Ko Itakura is once again being linked with a move to Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic.

A target last summer during Postecoglou’s first transfer window, Itakura is believed to be back on the Parkhead club’s radar following a successful loan spell in the Bundesliga 2 with Schalke 04.

Schalke 04 has an option to buy the defender on loan from Manchester City.

Still, it is reported that they will be unable to afford the €5 million fee despite winning a promotion back to the Bundesliga.

That has alerted Celtic again, as well as a host of other clubs who now look set to compete for the Japanese international signed by Man City from Kawasaki Frontale in 2019.

In this data analysis, we will look at Itakura’s number from his spell in Germany in detail.

We will focus particularly on his suitability as a ball-carrying centre-back, which is believed to be the profile of a player Celtic are looking to recruit this summer.

It will be analysed using statistics to determine whether Itakura would be a solid signing for the Bhoys.

Ko Itakura Tactical Analysis

We’ll start with several scatter graphs to give an initial picture of Itakura’s performance in Bundesliga 2 last season.

Then, we will use a percentile-rank pizza chart to examine Itakura’s data more deeply.

The dataset used for the initial scatter graphs and the pizza chart includes players who played at least 1,000 minutes, predominantly at centre-back, in last season’s Bundesliga 2.

Tableau creates the scatter graphs, and Python converts the per 90 numbers into percentile ranks for the pizza chart.

Ko Itakura Passing ability

First, we’ll look at the scatter graphs for passing, one of the key attributes that Celtic will prioritise when recruiting for the centre-back position this summer.

In this first scatter graph, we can see passes per 90 and overall passing accuracy, %.

Although this doesn’t tell us too much about Itakura’s profile at this stage, it can give an initial impression of how he performs in possession.

Itakura’s 46.7 passes per 90 were just above average for centre-back in the Bundesliga 2 last season.