Kris Boyd would pick Moussa Dembele as the superior Celtic hero to Kyogo Furuhashi ‘all day long’. He has ‘no doubt’ that the boisterous Frenchman displayed more talent.
Celtic lifted the domestic treble in each of the full seasons that Dembele spent at Parkhead from 2016 to 2018. He was also instrumental in the trophies that Brendan Rodgers brought to Glasgow. While Kyogo has also delivered a talismanic presence under Ange Postecoglou.
Dembele joined Celtic from Fulham in July 2016 upon leaving the London club at the end of his contract. His efforts across the following two terms would then yield the Hoops a £20m fee in September 2018. Lyon agreed to increase the sum having failed with an £18m offer.
Dembele and Kyogo have been title-winning talismans at Celtic
Kyogo set Celtic back £4.5m to sign from Vissel Kobe in July 2021 but has proven his weight in gold. The Japanese striker has led the Bhoys to a Premiership title and two League Cups so far. He is also on course to guide Postecoglou’s squad to a successive top-flight title, too.
Rangers ended Celtic’s hopes of a domestic treble in Postecoglou’s debut season in charge in the Scottish Cup semi-finals. While the Ibrox side also stand in the Hoops’ way this term. The Old Firm will again clash in the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup a year later on April 30.
Boyd has ‘no doubt’ over which Parkhead hero he would favour
Dembele left Celtic at 22 years old having scored 51 and assisted 18 goals in 94 games in all competitions. While the 28-year-old Kyogo has so far scored 49 and created 10 over his 75 outings for Celtic. The Ikoma, Nara native has scored 23 in 30 Premiership games this term.
Rodgers saw Dembele produce his most prolific pre-split Premiership campaign in 2016/17 with 17 goals in 29 games. While the strikers’ performances left an ever-lasting impression on Boyd, who firmly believes Dembele remains the superior Celtic hero than Kyogo is now.
“There is no doubt for me that Moussa Dembele is a more talented footballer than Kyogo Furuhashi,” Boyd stated in his column for The Scottish Sun. “Yes, they have two different styles of play and I’m not sure Dembele would be the right fit for the current Celtic side.
“Kyogo certainly works harder and his movement is superb. But as a fellow forward, if you’re asking me who I’d rather have in my team, it’d be Dembele all day long. That is not to take anything away from Kyogo but there was a certain swagger with the Frenchman.”
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