Kyogo Furuhashi looks set to leave Rennes just half a year after his high-profile move from Celtic, with a return to the UK now firmly on the cards.
The Japanese striker joined the Ligue 1 outfit in January for a fee in the region of £10 million, but struggled to make any meaningful impact during his short stint in France.
His time on the pitch was severely limited, starting only once, on his debut, and featuring off the bench a further five times. In total, the 30-year-old played less than an hour across those substitute appearances and hasn’t featured since April.
Talks between Rennes and English Championship newcomers Birmingham City are now at an advanced stage, according to French outlet L’Equipe. The proposed deal could see the French side recoup their initial outlay through performance-based bonuses, with Kyogo eyeing a fresh start after a frustrating six months.
Birmingham, preparing for life back in the second tier, appear ready to invest in experienced attacking options, and Furuhashi fits the bill.
Kyogo, capped 23 times for Japan with five international goals, will be hoping a move to England brings more consistent playing time after a disappointing end to last season.
His departure from Rennes, while abrupt, would bring an end to a chapter that never really got going, and open the door to a more familiar setting where he previously thrived in green and white.
