Peter Lawwell was reportedly concerned deeply by Celtic’s sale of Kyogo Furuhashi.
Last January, a 30-year-old Kyogo moved to Rennes in France for a fee of £10 million, with Jota moving in the opposite direction.
Brendan Rodgers later revealed that the striker had revealed a “strong desire” to try a new challenge months before the January window arrived.
Despite the club’s pre-held knowledge of Kyogo’s stance, however, the club failed to replace him, vindicating the reported concerns of then-chairman, Peter Lawwell.
Is Kyogo the best striker Celtic have had since Henrik Larsson?
Peter Lawwell was ‘deeply concerned’ by Celtic’s Kyogo sale
As reported in the Daily Record this week: “Behind closed doors, former chairman Peter Lawwell expressed some deeply held concerns over that decision to cash in on the Japanese international without having a ready-made replacement lined up.
“At the time, Lawwell was worried about the impact Kyogo’s loss might have had on what was left of last season’s top flight campaign.
READ MORE: Bundesliga clubs circle for Celtic’s Maik Nawrocki after impressive loan form
“But, while ultimately his worst fears were proven to be misplaced when Brendan Rodgers secured the title with plenty to spare, Kyogo’s sale can now be ringed in red pen as the start of something much more catastrophic.”
This reporting proves that the summer 2025 transfer window was not an exception to the rule. In the window prior, Rodgers was also left under-equipped.
It doesn’t even have to be about Lawwell. The simple fact that a mainstream journo is reporting this information is a sign of the extent of the disconnect that existed at Celtic Park.
It’s fair to say that the club still haven’t replaced Kyogo. In the following summer window, Adam Idah was also sold, before a first-team striker had even come through the door.
It was this approach to transfer business; essentially “sell them now, worry about replacing them later” that was clearly so frustrating for Rodgers.
Who’s the worst striker you’ve seen at Celtic?
Just days before the sale of Idah, the manager said that “no one can leave here until we get players in to replace” because this was “simple” and “logical”.
These comments were directly contradicted when the club allowed the Irishman to travel to Swansea to complete a medical.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
