Rennes manager Jorge Sampaoli has spoken about the ongoing transfer situation involving Kyogo Furuhashi.
The Japanese forward arrived in France last Thursday as part of his move away from Celtic. However, four days later, the deal has yet to be finalized.
Sampaoli had hoped to include Furuhashi in his squad for Rennes’ match against Monaco on Saturday, but that plan did not materialize, leaving the transfer unresolved.
Despite the delay, the Argentine coach appeared relaxed about the situation when questioned following his team’s 3-2 defeat in Monaco.
“We hoped he could play a few minutes against Monaco,” Sampaoli said.
“We have high expectations of him because he is a player who can bring us a lot, in particular, depth.
“When we (the coaching team) arrived at the club, we expressed our needs. Now, we are coming to the end of the transfer window, and it is always difficult to find concrete solutions.”
Kyogo Furuhashi’s impending transfer from Celtic to Rennes has been attributed to several personal motivations.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers disclosed that Kyogo had “expressed an interest to leave a number of months back,” seeking “a new challenge.”
At 30, Kyogo appears eager for one final significant career move, a sentiment underscored by his change of agents last summer.
Additionally, former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner suggested that the departure of former manager Ange Postecoglou could have influenced Kyogo’s decision to seek opportunities elsewhere.
These factors collectively seem to have driven Kyogo’s decision to transition from Celtic to Rennes.
Furuhashi’s £10 million move is expected to be completed soon. Meanwhile, Portuguese winger Jota is set to make an emotional return to Celtic in the opposite direction.
The 25-year-old has already arrived in Glasgow, with fans eagerly awaiting the official announcement of his return.
While Jota will be unavailable for the UEFA Champions League clash against Aston Villa on Wednesday, he could make his second debut for Celtic in their Scottish Premiership fixture against Motherwell this weekend.
