Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi could make his debut for Rennes as early as Saturday, according to the French club’s manager, Jorge Sampaoli.
Speaking at a press conference, Sampaoli confirmed that the Japanese forward is on the brink of finalizing his move to Ligue 1 and expressed hope that he could be part of the squad for their upcoming match against Monaco.
Quoted by Ouest-France, Sampaoli said:
“We are getting it done, it should be sealed today…”,
“We first hope that the deal will come to fruition. If so, maybe he could play a few minutes (in Monaco).
“We expect a lot from him because he is a player who can help us a lot and, in particular, give us depth.”
In addition to Furuhashi, Sampaoli also hinted at developments involving former Celtic winger Jota. The Portuguese attacker, who endured a disappointing spell in Saudi Arabia, has been linked with a potential return to Parkhead less than two years after leaving the club.
The news of Furuhashi’s potential exit broke shortly after Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers concluded his post-match media duties on Wednesday. The announcement followed Celtic’s dramatic 1-0 win over Young Boys, a result that secured their progression to the Champions League knockout stage. During the match, Furuhashi had three first-half goals ruled out before a late own goal sealed the victory for the Hoops.
Since joining Celtic, Furuhashi has scored an impressive 85 goals in three-and-a-half seasons. However, speculation over his future intensified after the official MLS website mistakenly announced earlier this month that he had signed for Atlanta United. Addressing the rumors on January 13, Rodgers left the door open for a potential departure:
“I think the biggest thing is if a player doesn’t want to be here, then go. And then it’s at that point, then the club has to get the best possible deal. So I don’t ever see the point of keeping someone who doesn’t want to be here.
“But I think for us, it’s all eventualities. That’s what we prepare for, whether it’s injuries, whether it’s transfers. You always have to be ready and that’s our message.
“But for him (Kyogo) at this moment in time, he’s happy, he’s working well, he’s scoring goals and enjoying his football.”
If Furuhashi departs, Celtic will be left with limited options up front. Adam Idah, who is currently on a 14-game goal drought, and 21-year-old Johnny Kenny, who has only made one substitute appearance, are the club’s only recognized strikers.
Celtic’s schedule remains demanding, with a home game against Dundee on Saturday followed by a crucial clash against Aston Villa next Wednesday. A victory in the latter fixture could secure a seeded play-off spot in the Champions League knockout stage or potentially direct qualification to the last 16.