Celtic’s transfer business always seems to cause a debate.
Even with Celtic dominating on the domestic circuit and into the knockout stages of the Champions League, it still proves to be a talking point.
Kyogo Furuhashi’s exit stole the headlines in January after he decided to join Rennes, but now his Japan teammate is doing the same down south.
Birmingham City hosted Newcastle United in the FA Cup on Saturday evening where a certain Tomoki Iwata started in midfield.
Iwata left Celtic for the League One side in the summer and this was his first proper test of the campaign because he was coming up against a Premier League outfit.
Amazingly enough, Birmingham opened the scoring inside a minute, the home crowd were in dreamland and hoping for an upset.
But then Newcastle hit back with two quick-fire goals, as the League Cup finalists showcased their class and higher quality in an enthralling opening at St Andrews.
That’s when Iwata decided to steal the limelight in the most outrageous way possible!
Tomoki Iwata’s goal for Birmingham City in the FA Cup stuns Newcastle United
Remember, Iwata is a defensive-minded midfielder by trade, but he was showing attacking qualities any forward player would be proud of.
Following a cross into the box, a headed clearance fell to the on-rushing Iwata on the edge of the box and he struck the ball, at the first time of asking, as clean as you will ever see.
The ball rifled into the back of the net and it was too hot to handle for Nick Pope, with the teams going into the break level, before Newcastle netted the winner in the second half and went on to progress.
Celtic fans making their feelings clear on Iwata
Callum McGregor is the sitter for Celtic and nobody is going to dethrone the skipper from that spot, unless he is resting.
That would have made game time more difficult to come by for Iwata, hence why he headed for the exit door when the big bucks of Birmingham came knocking.
But whilst the Celtic faithful are delighted for Iwata – he has seven goals in all competitions this season – and were wowed by that goal, they feel that the powers that be at Parkhead should have kept him on.
@keeneyg72 added: ‘Should have been a loan deal from Celtic’.
‘Should’ve kept him but tbf he was never going to get played ahead of McGregor,’ explained @KieranTearKnee3.
@Boaby_Wan added: ‘Shouldn’t have let him go so quickly, didn’t put a foot wrong with us, only crime was playing the same position as club captain and regular top 5 in Europe top games played per season. Glad to see he’s doing well!’
The theme of fans questioning the call to let Iwata go continued, as @julieflemino wrote: ‘Glad he’s doing well.. really liked Iwata, would have gladly kept him’.
Should Celtic have tried harder to keep Iwata, as @PatMichaels20 wrote: ‘The one that got away, trust me there was a baller there’.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
