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‘Similar to the way Van Dijk did’: Pundit backs £4.6m Celtic player for Liverpool transfer

Photo by Alex Gottschalk/DeFodi Images via Getty Images
Photo by Alex Gottschalk/DeFodi Images via Getty Images
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GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - DECEMBER 19: Kyogo Furuhashi of Celtic celebrates after scoring their side's first goal during the Premier Sports Cup Final between Celtic and Hibernian at Hampden Park on December 19, 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images

Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi continues to shine – and he has now been backed for a move to Liverpool or Manchester City.

Kyogo has quickly become a Celtic hero

Celtic paid just £4.6million to sign Kyogo from  Vissel Kobe over the summer.

Ange Postecoglou’s knowledge of the Japanese market was key in identifying Kyogo as a player who could make a huge impact.

Postecoglou will have been confident in Kyogo, but who saw him being this good?

Two superb goals in Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup final win over Hibernian took Kyogo’s Celtic tally to 16 goals in 25 games.

Add in five assists and Kyogo has taken Celtic by storm – which may just spark some Premier League interest.

Nevin backs Kyogo for Liverpool transfer

Celtic always have to deal with Premier League interest. Virgil van Dijk, Victor Wanyama, Fraser Forster, Stuart Armstrong, Kieran Tierney… if Celtic have a key player thriving, English clubs want them.

Pundit Pat Nevin has now told Off The Ball that he thinks Kyogo already has major interest in his signature.

Nevin noted that Kyogo may not be the biggest striker, but he’s quick and has great movement, which works well in the Premier League.

LEVERKUSEN, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 25: (BILD OUT) Kyogo Furuhashi of Celtic FC controls the ball during the UEFA Europa League group G match between Bayer Leverkusen and Celtic FC at BayArena on November 25, 2021 in Leverkusen, Germany. (Photo by Alex Gottschalk/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
Photo by Alex Gottschalk/DeFodi Images via Getty Images

Nevin even added that Kyogo would fit in well at Liverpool, where international teammate Takumi Minamino is struggling.

A move to an intermediate club may be needed in Nevin’s opinion, just as Van Dijk did when leaving Celtic for Southampton, but ultimately thinks Kyogo fits in at Liverpool or Manchester City.

“If you put Furuhashi in a good team he scores plenty of goals,” said Nevin. “I really do think that. He’s not the tallest, but I think if you look in the Premier League and the best teams, do you need to be the tallest? You need to be somebody that’s got great movement in and around the box. Pacey and an intelligent player. So Furuhashi is all those things.”

“There’s a lot of clubs that will be watching him right this second. I think he’d be best suited for a Liverpool or a Manchester City. He’d work really, really well there. I suspect he would probably have to take a step before he made that one. He would go to one of the other clubs lower down the table, similar to the way Van Dijk did. From Southampton to Liverpool,” he added.

Celtic's Japanese forward Kyogo Furuhashi celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Europa League group G football match between Celtic and Ferencvarosi TC at Celtic Park stadium in Glasgow, Scotland on October 19, 2021. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP) (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images