Kyogo Furuhashi’s £10m move to Rennes already raised eyebrows among Celtic fans, but now it looks even more bizarre, with reports in France suggesting the manager who signed him could be sacked before the striker even kicks a ball.

According to L’Équipe, Rennes are considering dismissing Jorge Sampaoli just months after appointing him as head coach. The Argentine was brought in to replace Julien Stéphan in November, but instead of turning things around, results have worsened, leaving Rennes languishing in 16th place in Ligue 1.

Sampaoli was given the job to steady the ship and push for European qualification, but the club have gone in the opposite direction. His reign so far has been disastrous, and patience in the boardroom is running thin.

Now, just days after sanctioning a big-money move for Kyogo, the Rennes hierarchy are weighing up whether to pull the plug on their struggling boss.

Rennes face Strasbourg on Sunday, which could be Kyogo’s first chance to feature for his new side—but will Sampaoli still be in the dugout? That remains to be seen.

For Kyogo, it’s an uncertain start to life in France. He arrived expecting to play under a manager who clearly wanted him at the club. Now, he could be left adjusting to a completely new setup just days after his move.

For Celtic fans watching on, the whole situation only makes the move seem even stranger.