Manchester City have identified Celtic’s Kyogo to replace Julian Alvarez, who completed a move to Spanish side Atletico Madrid earlier this summer. [The Athletic]
Celtic’s Kyogo Furuhashi reacts Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith
The 29-year-old Japanese international is one of two forwards currently on City’s shortlist, the other being a younger prospect.
Manchester City’s immediate focus remains on finalizing the re-signing of Ilkay Gundogan, who is set to leave Barcelona this summer. Once this deal is secured, the club plans to shift their attention to a new striker.
Kyogo has emerged as an option for City, and he does have a few connections to the club.
He was signed by Ange Postecoglou for Celtic, who had managed Yokohama F Marinos, another club in the City Football Group network and he has worked under City’s assistant coach Juanma Lillo at Vissel Kobe
Earlier this summer, we reported that Kyogo had changed agents, which seemed odd given he had just signed a long-term deal at Celtic last summer.
If Man City do come chapping for Kyogo, you’d imagine he’d be away, if Celtic’s asking price is met. But, Sam Lee said on the Its LB podcast that Celtic might not even “play ball” saying that they had knocked back bids for the striker last week.
It’s a massive move for Kyogo, but it would be unthinkable of Celtic to allow him and Matt O’Riley to leave in the same window.
Personally believe that Rodgers would have wanted kyogo to have got shoulder surgery during the summer?
And kyogo didn’t want to take such an option?
Now that this shoulder issue has become a current issue, where does that leave Rodgers and kyogo in the planning for the season ahead?
Did have doubts last season, as to whether kyogo was actually a Rodgers type striker?
Yet there has been nothing on show since the start of pre season to suggest otherwise, especially as kyogo has shown so much improvement to his all round game at present imo?
Yet Rodgers has another decision to be making in regards of how big of a gamble is it potentially going to be, if kyogo was to start becoming a bit part player, due to these potential ongoing shoulder injury issues?
With that in mind, I would be very surprised if any team would be prepared to take such a gamble, that Rodgers is currently looking at imo?
Of course Rodgers potentially has Maeda who looks more than capable of producing what kyogo offers ourselves?
But that would require another wide option to be found, which wouldn’t be easy to replace with the amount of work rate Maeda produces in the wide areas for ourselves?
Still don’t think anything will come out of this rumour, except for another big contribution from kyogo for ourselves hopefully?