Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi has enjoyed some well-deserved rest over the international break after unfortunately being snubbed by Japan for their double-header against Saudi Arabia and Australia.
The 29-year-old has made a solid start to the campaign, scoring four times and laying on two assists in his opening nine appearances.
Nevertheless, Kyogo Furuhashi’s positive season start for Celtic wasn’t enough to earn him a berth in Hajime Moriyasu’s plans. Japan have started with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Saudi Arabia and face Australia later today.
While the former Vissel Kobe man enjoyed a break while Celtic’s remaining first-teamers defeated Sligo Rovers, you get the impression he will be fighting fit for the Bhoys’ top-of-the-table clash against Aberdeen this weekend.
Most players would spend their time off somewhere a little warmer than Scotland at this time of year. Nevertheless, Furuhashi has opted to take a slightly different direction on this occasion.
Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi’s unique trip to Iona
Instead of heading for some sun, Furuhashi has instead been spotted enjoying some time away from the field on the remote Scottish island of Iona, which lies off the Ross of Mull.
Inhabiting less than 200 people, Iona’s scenic beauty would’ve represented an alternative sort of break for the striker as he takes some recuperation time before returning to club duty.
As provided by Everything Celtic on X, Celtic’s talisman is spotted stopping for a photo with a couple of young supporters, who probably couldn’t believe their luck as one of their heroes happened to be in the vicinity.
Immersing himself in what Scotland’s wider landscape has to offer, it is fair to say Furuhashi has been keeping busy during the international break.
Kyogo Furuhashi will be keen to return firing for Celtic
Following a solid start this term, Furuhashi will be keen to maintain his strong numbers when the schedule intensifies after the international break.
The underlying statistics behind his opening few performances are positive. Stat-trackers Fotmob show that he has taken on 26 shots in the Scottish Premiership, with exactly half of them on target.
In a figure that could signal encouragement, he has also racked up 4.64 Expected Goals despite only striking three times in the league, suggesting Furuhashi is getting in the right positions regularly and it may only be a matter of time before his end product starts to accelerate further.
Hopefully, the man in question can return ready to fire after the break is over, with the Bhoys set for an intense run of fixtures that will help shape the course of their season.
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