THE Kyogo Furuhashi link to Manchester City has come out of the blue – quite literally.
News was leaked from across the border that the Celtic striker may be on Pep Guardiola’s wish list following Julian Alvarez’s £82million switch to Atletico Madrid.
The tale is akin to the pebble rolling down the mountain that creates a landslide.
Everyone is having their say and offering their opinion, with Sky Sports joining in, but there a few things to be considered before Kyogo is packing his bags and heading for The Etihad.
For a start, would Celtic even contemplate selling the 29-year-old Japanese international frontman who is under contract until June 1 2027?
CITY SLICKER…Kyogo Furuhashi leaves Stefan Ortega helpless as he prepares to roll in a goal in Celtic’s 4-3 win over Pep Guardiola’s side in North Carolina last month.
Unless the Hoops have at least a couple of hitherto anonymous attack-leaders ready to jump out of the shadows and keep Adam Idah company up front it would be soccer suicide to allow the player to leave.
There is little point in talking about extravagant £25million fees for Kyogo in a week where the champions could match that figure with the sale of Matt O’Riley to Brighton.
Celtic fans are unlikely to be overly-impressed with another £50million heading for the bank vaults when there are no ready-made replacements of a similar calibre.
The Champions League group stages’ draw is due a week tomorrow and the transfer deadline is 24 hours later.
It’s a double whammy Celtic could do without if they are left without two pivotal players as they prepare to take on the creme de la creme in Europe’s elite tournament.
Would Kyogo consider becoming a bit-part player at the English Premier champions after three years of adulation in Scotland?
FOILED…Kyogo Furuhashi is denied by Hibs keeper Joe Bursik in Celtic’s 2-0 win at Easter Road.
Unless something dramatic occurs to derail the progress of Erling Haaland, it’s difficult to envisage the pacy raider getting too many nods to get prepared for action.
At the same time, though, you have to take into consideration this will be Kyogo’s last chance to make serious money in the transfer market.
I don’t know what makes the player get out of bed in the morning and what motivates him for the rest of the day, but if his main aim is to make enough dosh to enable him to put his feet up in his latter years then it would be sheer folly to believe he would dismiss such a move.
There is also the plus factor that his former Vissel Kobe head coach Juan Manuel Lillo is currently No.2 to Guardiola at City and that could be seen as an attraction.
And Kyogo couldn’t have failed to catch the eye of the Spanish gaffer with his impressive performance and goal during the Hoops’ 4-3 win over City in North Carolina last month.
The fans’ favourite has collected 73 goals for the Hoops in 135 appearances since Ange Postecoglou parted with £4.6million to bring him in as a virtual unknown from the J-League in late July 2021.
EAR WE GO…Kyogo Furuhashi celebrates his penalty-kick goal against Ayr United in the 1-1 pre-season draw at Somerset Park.
Kyogo is clearly Celtic’s main striker irrespective of the £9.5million they were forced to pay Norwich City for Scottish Cup matchwinner Idah.
Unless they can produce genuine quality to replace the Japanese forward the club could be heading for a disastrous downturn in fortunes.
I recall when Celtic sold Kenny Dalglish to Liverpool in the summer of 1977. Jock Stein’s side had just celebrated a league and Cup double. They received a record fee of £440,000 for their international marksman and promised to spend the cash wisely.
They parted with £60,000 on Tom McAdam from Dundee United and finished fifth in the league and won nothing.
Surely we have learned lessons from the past.
ALEX GORDON
