Chris Sutton says there’s “no way” Celtic should be looking to cash in on Kyogo Furuhashi this summer after inevitable rumours about a move away from the Bhoys.
Speculation on Kyogo’s future spiked during the week when reports indicated that Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds were keen on his signature this summer. [Daily Mail]
The striker is coming off the back of a 19-goal season for the Bhoys. While he’s not been quite as prolific as the previous campaign when he netted 34, he remains a crucial part of Brendan Rodgers’ team.
He scored two crucial winning goals against Rangers in Premiership derbies and showed he can take his skills onto the highest stage with efforts against Atletico Madrid and Lazio in the UEFA Champions League.
Understandably, other sides are going to be eager to land him but Sutton has urged Celtic to resist temptation on a sale.
Chris Sutton tells Celtic to rebuff Kyogo interest
The former Celtic hero said [Daily Record, 01/06 print edition p. 53]: “Celtic should be looking to keep their big players for the Champions League – not selling them. There has been talk about bids coming on from Japan but the figures mentioned for Kyogo wouldn’t even scratch the surface.
“Kyogo will turn 30 in January and there might be a temptation to let him go if they can get £8m or more. But how much would it cost to replace him? A heck of a lot more.
“Kyogo has been a superb signing for Celtic and even though some would say he didn’t quite hit the same heights last season as he did in his first two, he still managed 20 goals.
“It’s also so much more than that. Kyogo is a big-time player, he produces the goods when it matters, in huge derby games, cup finals and in Europe. There’s no way Celtic should even be thinking about cashing in on him because he’s worth way much more to them.”
Celtic must find balance and Kyogo is part of that
Kyogo is in his prime and certain football theorists would argue that’s the best time to sell a player, maximising their value and reinvesting that back into future potential before a decline.
However, it’s crucial when competing for three trophies domestically and in Europe that Celtic find a balance in that outlook.
Sutton is right, selling Kyogo now doesn’t make much sense considering it wouldn’t be for mega money. Unless he is angling for a move away, he must remain a part of the squad.
He has so much to offer on the pitch – electric movement, high intelligence and big game mentality. His skills should be built around rather than taken out of the team. Hopefully, that’s what we see this summer.