Chris Sutton has criticised Celtic’s handling of Kyogo Furuhashi’s departure, saying he can’t understand why Celtic haven’t replaced him yet.
Kyogo was sold to Rennes in January in a move that caught many by surprise, and Celtic have yet to bring in a like-for-like replacement.
While new signing Shin Yamada impressed during the Como Cup, questions remain over whether the 25-year-old is ready to lead the line at the highest level.
Sutton, speaking after Yamada’s promising performance against Al-Ahli, questioned both the sale and the thought behind Kyogo’s move.
“I never understood why Celtic sold Kyogo and I don’t understand how they haven’t replaced him,” he told RecordSport.
“He’s somehow ended up at Birmingham City. I don’t know how he’s ended up there. I think he was brilliant in the big games.
“Clever player, really intelligent and didn’t get that one.
“However, people can point out to me that he didn’t do well at Rennes, but he did pretty well at Celtic.”
Kyogo’s time in Glasgow was defined by sharp movement, smart link-up play and big goals in big moments on the biggest of stages. The decision to sell Kyogo mid-season, without securing a proper replacement, left Brendan Rodgers with limited attacking options – a risk that you could argue backfired when Celtic didn’t lift the Scottish Cup. Celtic claimed the title, though.
Now, with the new season set to begin, the striker situation remains unresolved. Yamada, who scored just two goals in the first half of the J-League season before his move, has shown flashes of promise. But relying on him to carry the load so soon would be a gamble.
