Rumoured interest in Kyogo from Urawa Reds from an X account with a proven record for being unreliable as far as Celtic matters is concerned is being plastered everywhere today…

Firstly it’s doubtful that the J league side could meet Celtic’s valuation. Secondly, it’s unlikely that they could afford to match or exceed the financial package Kyogo is on after signing a contract extension at Celtic just last summer. Thrirdly, if Kyogo wanted a move you would imagine it would be to one of the top five league in Europe and not a return to the J-League. At this stage in his career that would be a non starter.

But it’s a transfer rumour and a few weeks before the window actually opens, the entire media is over it like a rash. It’s from a Japan based account going by the handle of Marco Molla who reported that Japanese side Urawa Reds are interested in bringing the striker back home this summer.

Fabrizio Romano he is not!

Celtic supporters don’t want to lose Kyogo far from it, despite a poor season by his standards he’s still a vital and very liked member of the squad, and is a player that we wish to keep. Some might argue that the lure of a return to his homeland might be too strong for Kyogo, and at 29 the club might wish to cash in while his value is still high, keeping in line with our transfer strategy.

The only stumbling block, and one that I think makes this nothing more than a baseless rumour is whether or not Urawa would be able to meet Celtic’s valuation of Kyogo. The J league sides record transfer outlay is €5 million to date according to transfer market.

We will be looking at least double that fee for Kyogo and rightly so if he were to leave. Urawa would have to not only break their own transfer record, but the J league record of €11 million which has stood for six years.

Urawa reportedly have money to spend after securing qualification to the all new World Cup in 2025. A sum rumoured to be around the £40 million mark. I doubt very much that Urawa are going to part with that sort of cash for a soon to be 30 year old. So I think we can safely file this under a non starter.

Just an Ordinary Bhoy

READ THIS…Celtic launch the new adidas x Celtic 2024/25 Home Kit

READ THE CELTIC RISING ON KINDLE – David Potter’s bestseller The Celtic Rising ~ 1965: The Year Jock Stein Changed Everything is completely sold out in print on but is available on Amazon kindle, with all the photographs of the hardback edition, for HALF PRICE at just £3.49...click on the image below to order this brilliant Celtic book.