Chris Sutton has voiced his concerns over Celtic’s decision to sell Kyogo Furuhashi to Rennes in the middle of the season.
Writing in his RecordSport column, the former Hoops striker admitted he was “struggling to get [his] head around” the timing of the transfer, calling it an unusual move for a club fighting on multiple fronts.
Kyogo had been a key figure for Celtic, scoring crucial goals throughout the season. He found the net 12 times this season so far with four assists . His departure leaves a significant gap in Brendan Rodgers’ attack, with the club yet to secure a direct replacement.
Sutton compared Kyogo’s exit to that of Josip Juranovic in January 2023 but pointed out a key difference—Celtic had already secured Alistair Johnston as a replacement before the Croatian right-back left. In contrast, Kyogo was sold without a new striker lined up, putting pressure on the board to deliver before the transfer window closes on February 3.
Celtic’s argument and transfer target
The club could argue Kyogo was aggressively pushing for a move and that they got good money for a player who has just turned 30.
There has been speculation surrounding Mathias Kvistgaarden as a potential signing, with Sutton acknowledging the interest but warning that Brøndby must be willing to sell—and that the Danish forward won’t come cheap.
Currently, Celtic’s striking options include Adam Idah, who arrived permanently from Norwich for back in the summer for £9 million, Daizen Maeda, and Irish forward Johnny Kenny. However, replacing Kyogo’s influence, movement, and goalscoring instinct will be no easy task.
With crucial league fixtures ahead and a Champions League knockout tie against Bayern Munich looming , the pressure is on Celtic’s recruitment team to ensure they do not leave a gaping hole in the squad.
