The Japanese striker has been linked with a return to the J.League as his second loan spell away from Celtic struggles to get going. His latest situation has renewed questions about his future.
He is currently at OH Leuven, where six league appearances have produced no goals or assists. Only two of those outings have been starts, leaving him with limited opportunities to establish himself.
His time in Belgium has therefore failed to deliver the attacking contributions expected from a striker. The absence of goals and assists remains the biggest concern surrounding his current loan spell.
It follows a difficult first season in Glasgow, with the forward failing to score a competitive goal before heading to Germany on loan. His Celtic career consequently began with considerable difficulties.
Follow every move in and out with our Celtic transfer news. The latest development adds another chapter to the discussion surrounding the striker’s future and his attempts to find regular football.
A report from Football Tribe Japan has now raised the possibility of a return to his homeland, although no interested club has been named. The suggestion remains speculation rather than a confirmed transfer.
Yamada has now had opportunities in Scotland, Germany and Belgium without establishing himself as a regular scorer. His experiences across those three countries provide the background to the renewed speculation.
His latest loan spell has so far offered little improvement in terms of attacking returns. Six league appearances for OH Leuven have produced neither a goal nor an assist for the Japanese forward.
Only two of those appearances have been starts, highlighting his limited involvement from the beginning of matches. His opportunities in Belgium have therefore not translated into the regular scoring contributions he needs.
His situation follows a first campaign at Celtic in which he failed to find the net in a competitive match. That difficult experience eventually resulted in a temporary move to Germany.
The German spell did provide some encouragement towards its conclusion. Towards the end of last season, he scored three times for Preußen Münster in Bundesliga 2, offering a better return.
Those three goals represented a positive contribution after a frustrating opening period in Germany. They gave him something to build on as he prepared for another opportunity away from Celtic.
The late improvement was particularly relevant after the difficulties experienced during the earlier stages of that loan. His goals provided some encouragement before his next move took him to Belgium.
His subsequent move to Leuven offered another chance at regular football. The transfer provided a fresh opportunity after Germany, although his early league appearances have not produced the improvement he would have wanted.
So far, the Belgian spell has brought another period spent largely outside the starting XI. With only two starts from six league appearances, he has not become a regular selection.
The absence of goals and assists means his latest temporary move has yet to improve his attacking record. Those figures have accompanied the renewed discussion about a possible return to Japan.
His scoring record before Celtic also needs the proper context. The four goals in 22 league appearances came during the 2025 campaign before he moved to Glasgow.
That earlier return formed part of the background to his arrival in Scotland. Supporters were already concerned that he might not reach the same heights as the last two strikers signed from Japan.
The comparison was part of the discussion surrounding his arrival, with fans aware of the scoring standards established by those previous Japanese forwards. His own record had not provided similar reassurance.
His four league goals in 22 appearances remained the relevant figures from the 2025 campaign before his Celtic move. His subsequent loan spells have continued to shape discussions about his progress.
Talk of a return home surfaced during the summer, before he eventually went to Belgium instead. The possibility of leaving European football behind had therefore already entered the conversation.
However, the summer speculation did not result in a move back to Japan. Instead, he joined OH Leuven, where another opportunity to play regular football awaited him.
That decision has not yet brought the desired league return. Six appearances have resulted in no goals or assists, while only two have come as starts for the Belgian side.
The renewed link with Japan arrives against that background. Football Tribe Japan has raised the possibility of a return, although its report has not identified a club interested in signing him.
Without a named interested club, the suggestion remains a possibility rather than a developed transfer move. There is currently no confirmed destination for the striker in the report.
The latest speculation also comes with his position at Leuven showing little sign of improving. His limited starting opportunities and lack of goal contributions remain central to the situation.
Across his spells in Scotland, Germany and Belgium, the forward has not established himself as a regular scorer. His three goals for Preußen Münster remain an encouraging part of that record.
His Celtic spell has consequently been followed by two loan moves, first to Germany and then to Belgium. Neither temporary spell has yet established him as a consistent scorer.
A permanent departure would hardly be a surprise given the circumstances surrounding his time away from Celtic. Nevertheless, speculation about an exit does not mean an agreement or transfer is in place.
An interested club still has to emerge before a move home can become more concrete. Until that happens, the report from Japan leaves his next career step unresolved.
For now, the central details remain unchanged: six league appearances in Belgium, no goals or assists, and only two starts. Those figures follow his earlier difficulties in Scotland.
His future therefore remains open as speculation about Japan returns. A permanent departure may be possible, but no club has been named and there is no confirmed move.
The latest report has brought the prospect of a return to the J.League back into view. Whether that possibility develops further depends on an interested club emerging while his Belgian loan continues.