EVEN those lumbered with a single digit IQ must believe Celtic are about to unveil a class act as Kyogo Furuhashi’s replacement.
The champions have until 11pm on Monday February 3 to register a striker who will be able to cope with the expectancy of claiming goals at a regular rate at the highest level.
It’s bizarre to accept Brendan Rodgers will face Aston Villa in the Midlands in midweek without the threat of the man who has scored 85 goals in three and a half years of leading the line.
Okay, it is a totally meaningless game as far as qualification for the Champions League play-offs is concerned, but it is still an important fixture which will determine where the club will sit in the league table after their eighth and final match in the new set-up.
SMILES BETTER…Brendan Rodgers beams as Celtic overcome Switzerland’s Young Boys.
A win, for instance, would put Celtic a point above the English team who currently sit in ninth place.
It would be unfathomable to believe Rodgers does not acknowledge the urgent requirement for a dependable hitman if the Hoops overcome the play-off hurdle on their way to the riches that lie beyond in the coveted knock-out stages of Europe’s most prestigious competition.
The Irishman, of course, can make three changes to his original player pool for the next stage of the adventure.
There may be some backslapping among the Hoops hierarchy that they have manoeuvred themselves into a position to accept a fee nudging £10million for a player who celebrated his 30th birthday four days ago.
It represents a reasonable profit on the initial outlay of £4.6million to J-League outfit Vissel Kobe in July 2021.
This is the same player who hit the ground running and thumped in a hat-trick in his Parkhead debut as he made an instant favourable first impression in a 6-0 league win over Dundee within a fortnight of touching down in Glasgow.
Remember, too, what Kyogo brought to the frontline; speed, a willingness to work and, crucially, a cutting edge.
THE TRADEMARK OF THE TALISMAN…Kyogo Furuhashi celebrates one of his 85 Celtic goals.
Compare that with what had been in place the previous season as the team limped through an error-strewn barren campaign where the two main attackers were the lacklustre Odsonne Edouard, going through the motions and rather obviously solidifying the notion his future lay elsewhere, and Albian Ajeti, a complete waste of £5million from West Ham.
The forward line was about as intimidating as a gumsy sheep in the club’s first trophyless crusade in 11 years, but Kyogo added instant oomph and, with Giorgos Giakoumakis as back-up, Ange Postecoglou’s new-look Celts instantly rallied and won back the Premiership title and also threw in the League Cup for good measure.
No-one should overlook the part Kyogo played in winning that early piece of silverware. Celtic were trailing to a goal from Hibs shortly after the interval at Hampden in the December showpiece when the little merchant of menace levelled before scoring an exquisite lobbed winner.
GREEN FOR GO…Kyogo Furuhashi lights up Hampden with his double in the League Cup Final win over Hibs in December 2021.
Make no mistake, dear reader, it was vitally important Celtic roused themselves before the rot set in and the club got used to failure following one of the most depressing years in recent history.
Now, as Kyogo heads for a new career with Rennes and former fans’ favourite Filipe Jota returns in a quite astonishing piece of transfer business, manager Rodgers must surely have an ace of his sleeve.
No disrespect to either Adam Idah or young Johnny Kenny, but neither is equipped to provide the goal threat offered by the outgoing Japanese ace. Neither installs any great degree of optimism for the remainder of the campaign.
It would be sheer folly for anyone at Celtic Park to believe otherwise.
ALEX GORDON