Many still probably haven’t got over Kyogo Furuhashi leaving Celtic.
Yes, for weeks and weeks, there were rumours about Kyogo’s future, but not many expected it to end in such an abrupt manner.
Celtic had beaten Young Boys to book their play-off ticket in the Champions League and the fans were still celebrating that win.
Then, within hours of that game concluding, Kyogo was joining Rennes, to the shock of many, and ending his trophy-laden and goal-crazy stay in Glasgow.
The Japan star netted 85 goals for the Bhoys, including eight against Rangers and ten in what turned out to be his final campaign in green and white colours.
He leaves a big void up top, but who will be that replacement for Kyogo?
Jackie McNamara thinks the time was right for Kyogo Furuhashi to leave Celtic
Rennes are hovering above the relegation zone in Ligue 1, so it made Kyogo’s call to leave a Champions League side even stranger.
But Jackie McNamara feels that the time was right for the 30-year-old to go and how he has been a ‘great servant’ to the club, as he told the Warm Up.
McNamara highlighted his age and how the whole deal was ‘a great bit of business’ from the powers that be at Celtic.
“If the game was in the balance (against Aston Villa in regards to still needing to qualify), then the move (for Kyogo to leave) would have happened (after the Villa match),” claimed McNamara.
“Celtic were already secured and the two wanted the deal done. I think it was a great bit of business for Celtic. Jota coming back. You are hoping he is going to be just as hungry and determined. Kyogo has been a great servant.
“But at the age of 30, it’s a great bit of business for Celtic, the money they got for Jota and they are getting him back on a swap. Kyogo has been a great servant, but the writing was on the wall last summer when he was maybe going to leave. He was linked with a few moves last summer, so he changed his agency. They have done that very well in the market and how they have lost players, then brought others in.”
Daizen Maeda as Celtic’s next striker played down
Daizen Maeda is playing his best football at Celtic and he has improved that final third quality ever since Rodgers returned.
The 27-year-old has 15 goals for the campaign, including three strikes in the Champions League, but McNamara isn’t having him as an out-and-out striker.
The Celtic legend noted Maeda ‘running away’ from the goal too much as an issue and a reason why the £1.6 million signing under Ange Postecoglou can’t go up top on his own.
“I think they will,” responded McNamara on another striker joining before the deadline. “I think there has been a talk of a few they have been linked with over the last couple of weeks.
“Looking at the game against Villa, I know Maeda will be back, but I don’t see him as a nine. I know he has played little bits there before, but he kept running away from the goals, rather than be in between the sticks.
“For the first time against Villa, Idah was in between the sticks, which is where you want him to be and they were two fantastic finishes.”
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