Given Celtic’s recruitment has left a lot to be desired in recent years, there were understandable concerns when it emerged a little-known player from the Far East would become one of Ange Postecoglou’s first signings in the Parkhead dugout.
But while many on the green half of Glasgow channelled their inner Sir Alex following the eyebrow-raising arrival of Kyogo Furuhashi, the 26-year-old from Honshu has wasted little time in making those cynics look silly.
Clearly, top-level football doesn’t stop on the banks of the Bosphorus.
The cream of Celtic’s current crop, even a tally of nine goals in 14 games fails to do justice to Furuhashi’s impact in Glasgow.
Not quite a number nine, not quite a number ten, the former Vissel Kobe star is a creator, goalscorer, intelligent link-man and leader of the press. He’s an all-round wonderful attacking talent rolled into an unassuming 5ft 8in frame.
And, perhaps inspired by the transformative difference Furuhashi has made since stepping on Scottish soil, it’s understood Celtic will return to the J-League in January in the hope history can repeat itself.
Can Maeda emulate Furuhashi at Celtic?
According to The Times, Celtic are “confident” of sealing a deal that would see Daizen Maeda join his fellow Japan international at Parkhead in early 2022.
And while Postecoglou always admired Furuhashi from afar during his time in Asia, the Celtic boss knows Maeda a lot more by comparison.
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“The J-League is definitely a league I’m familiar with. I know (Maeda) well because I was the one who brought Daizen to Yokohama F Marinos,” Postecoglou admitted to The National this week, pointing out it was he who signed Maeda from Matsumoto Yamaga in February following a successful loan spell.
Postecoglou described Maeda as a “fun player” he was “glad” to sign during their time together at the Marinos.
And while his goalscoring record might not be as impressive as Furuhashi’s, a tally of 18 from 35 games is certainly not to be sniffed at.
Blessed with searing pace and the ability to play through the middle or wide on the left, “fun” is probably the most appropriate word to describe a man who could bring explosive acceleration and lethal finishing to a Celtic side clicking into gear under Postecoglou.
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