Kyo-Go: “Kyogo had expressed an interest to leave a number of months back,” Brendan Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers has revealed that star man Kyogo Furuhashi asked to leave the club a while back. The Japan international is set to depart the club in a deal worth around £8.5 million…

Kyogo celebrates
UEFA Champions League Celtic Glasgow vs Young Boys Bern, Celtic Park. Goal celebration by Kyogo Furuhashi however VAR rules out the goal. Photo Joeran Steinsiek IMAGO

His next destination will be Ligue 1 with Stade Rennais and the striker should become a player for the French outfit some time over the weekend.

Kyogo has been a stalwart for Celtic ever since Ange Postecoglou brought him to these shores back in the summer transfer window of 2021. In many ways, Furuhashi was the living embodiment of the Aussie’s “we never stop” philosophy on the game of football. The former Vissel Kobe man was an instant hit and ingratiated himself to the Celtic fans with some fantastic goals in big games.

A perennial punisher of the latest Ibrox outfit

Kyogo wanted to leave Celtic
Celtic v theRangers – Scottishl Premiership – Celtic Park. Kyogo Furuhashi celebrates after scoring his sides second goal of the game during the match at Celtic Park on: Sunday September 1, 2024. Photo Andrew Milligan

A perennial punisher of the latest Ibrox outfit, Kyogo managed 8 goals in 11 games against theRangers and will be remembered fondly when he does eventually leave Celtic Park. So many great memories in so many games, Kyogo had earned the “best since Larsson” tag amongst a large swathe of the support for the way he would rise to the occasion in cup finals and crucial fixtures for the club.

“Kyogo had expressed an interest to leave a number of months back”

Brendan Rodgers confirmed yesterday though that the Samurai Blue forward had expressed a desire to try a new challenge after being at the club for nearly four-years. “Kyogo had expressed an interest to leave a number of months back. Obviously then that expression becomes stronger and then it gets to this stage where he clearly wants to leave and we have to then do a deal and look to finalise that for him.

Fans of Celtic Japanese forward Kyogo Furuhashi
Fans of Celtic Japanese forward Kyogo Furuhashi wait for the pre-season match between Chelsea and Celtic at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana, on July 27, 2024. (Photo by KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

“He’s been an incredible player for the club in the three-and-a-half years he’s been here and, like I said, he’s not someone we wanted to lose. But we have to accept where he’s at and after the work that he’s done to give to Celtic, and his age and where he’s at, we have to accept that.”

“There are obviously issues around the timing”

The Celtic manager added: “There are obviously issues around the timing. But we have been aware so it’s not something that has just been sprung on us. We understand that we were going to lose him and that we have to replace that quality to keep the team moving forward. It’s something that’s been going on in a little while and hopefully we come out of the window with a stronger squad.”

Jota celebrates
Jota of Celtic celebrates with teammates after scoring during the UEFA Champions League group F match between RB Leipzig and Celtic FC at Red Bull Arena on October 05, 2022. (Photo by Martin Rose/Getty Images)

The blow will be hard to take but the incoming transfer of Jota from Rennes too will likely mitigate that somewhat. The Portuguese star is set to make a dramatic comeback to Paradise, after finding out that sometimes what you already have is special. The fanbase us swelling with excitement over this one and the Celtic boss confirmed it should go through in the next 24 hours or so.

He said of the potential arrival: “It’s not finalised yet. But a player who clearly would be an incredible addition to our squad given what he’s done here before and his qualities. Hopefully we can complete that in the next 24 hours.”

Paul Gillespie

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About Author

I'm a Garngad Bhoy through and through. My first ever Celtic game was a friendly against Italian side Parma at Celtic Park, in 2002. Currently a student of English Literature and Education at the University of Strathclyde for my sins. Favourite game would be a toss up between beating Manchester United with that Naka freekick, or the game against the Oldco when Hesselink scored in the dying seconds. I'm still convinced Cal Mac is wasted playing that far back.

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