Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton has reacted to the impending departure of Kyogo Furuhashi to Rennes for a reported fee of £10 million.
With Kyogo linked to several clubs this month, including Atlanta United, some believed that if Celtic secured Champions League knockout play-off qualification with a win against Young Boys on Wednesday night, the forward might leave soon after. However, few could have predicted just how quickly things would progress behind the scenes.
Kyogo jetted off to France the next day to undergo a medical, with a deal seemingly agreed between Celtic and Rennes.
This move appears to have been in the works for months, with Brendan Rodgers revealing in his press conference yesterday that Kyogo had asked to leave earlier in the season. Rodgers maintained his consistent stance on such situations: no player is bigger than the club, and if someone wishes to depart, he will not stand in their way.
Sutton, who spent six years at Celtic, questioned his former side’s ambition following their Champions League knockout play-off qualification secured against Swiss champions Young Boys.
The Englishman believed that such a milestone would ensure Kyogo remained at the club until the end of the season, giving Celtic the chance to extend their European campaign beyond the play-offs.
He said: (Daily Record), “Selling Kyogo Furuhashi feels like Celtic have just put their hands up and admitted there’s a ceiling on their Champions League ambitions.
“That the end of the road has been reached in Europe this term, whilst an unnecessary risk has been taken at home. If you wanted to be ultra-critical, you could even say it’s money over magic.”
Sutton’s view goes against what Brendan Rodgers said yesterday, as the manager made it clear there was no pressure from the Celtic board to sell Kyogo for financial reasons. Instead, the move came from Kyogo himself.
While Sutton’s point is understandable, Kyogo seems determined to boost his chances of making Japan’s squad for the 2026 World Cup. Reports suggest Japan’s coach, Hajime Moriyasu, isn’t a big fan of the Scottish Premiership, even though he regularly picks Daizen Maeda for the national team.
For Kyogo, it seems he’s achieved everything he can at Celtic—winning trebles, scoring in Glasgow derbies, finding the net in cup finals, and even making his mark in the Champions League. Yet, none of that has been enough to impress Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu.
With Brendan Rodgers’ current Celtic contract set to expire in the summer of 2026, it feels like the board is doing everything possible to convince him to stay longer. While Kyogo’s departure could be seen as a step back, the imminent return of Jota and the reported arrival of Kieran Tierney show the club is actively working to support Rodgers and keep him happy.
Rodgers’ positive tone in Friday’s press conference suggests things are in a good place behind the scenes, with the board’s ambition evident in recent transfer windows.
