KYOGO for the Etihad? I’ve got to admit I was surprised when I heard about Manchester City’s interest in the Celtic striker earlier this week. 4 Kyogo was a stand-out on Celtic's USA tour where they faced Manchester City 4 Now the English champions are believed to be targetting the Hoops talisman Credit: Alamy 4 Kris Boyd reckons the Japanese international will still be at Celtic when they meet Rangers next weekend Credit: PA And I’ll be even more shocked if a deal is done between now and the transfer window closing on Friday night. I might be wrong but I just can’t see it happening.
But there’s no doubting City’s interest as they seek a replacement for £82million World Cup winner Julian Alvarez . And you can see the attraction in the deal for all THREE parties. read more football stories SIM'S A COINCIDENCE Rangers fans can't help notice timing as hero breaks transfer silence WELCOME MATT O'Riley on brink of record Celtic exit with star unlikely to play vs St Mirren At 29, I’d imagine Kyogo would be happy to go to the English Premier League champions.
Players can change agents for all sorts of reasons — but often it’s to get them the move of their dreams . Pep Guardiola will have seen him at close quarters when Celtic beat City in the United States in the summer . His No2, Juanma Lillo, was Kyogo’s manager at Vissel Kobe in the J.
League. Most read in Sport TRANSFER TALK Rodgers breaks silence on Kyogo's future and gives transfer update on O'Riley GER ON THE MOVE Matondo and Davies prepped to LEAVE as ex-Hoops coach closes in on £3m man CAST AWAY Shutters down as Rangers kit makers suddenly CLOSE flagship Scottish store DOUBLE DEAL Kyogo & O'Riley latest amid interest as Celtic squad prepares for St Mirren tie Yes, he’d be going as back-up to Erling Haaland and might not play too much. But he’d stand to earn a fortune and there are worse jobs at this stage of his career than coming off the City bench for 15 or 20 minutes.
Kris Boyd joins the show to discuss Dessers' controversial goal and asks what is going on with Danilo as well as assessing Maeda's contribution to Celtic as a striker City would also benefit — because they’d land a top- class striker. People might criticise the league up here but it’s hard to criticise Kyogo. He can only score goals against the opposition he’s up against.
And his numbers are off the charts at Celtic. In his defence , he scores goals in big games. Look at his Old Firm record .
Look at the goals he’s scored in Europe . It baffles me that he doesn’t get a shout for Japan and he’s behind Daizen Maeda for the No9 jersey at international level. But that might come down to something as simple as a personality clash.
4 For me, you can’t question his quality. Of course, he’s not on the same level as Haaland. But who is? He’s scored 91 goals in 100 games for one of the best teams in the world.
His goal set City on the way to three points against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last Sunday. Yes, I’ve heard the critics says he doesn’t do much other than score goals. But that’s the hardest part of the game and he does it as well as anyone.
Could Kyogo do a job as his deputy? Of course he could. And at 29, this may his final chance in his career to earn the real big bucks. But what intrigues me most about the proposed deal is Celtic’s take on it all? Our New YouTube Channel Subscribe to our new Scottish Sun Sport YouTube channel for all the latest football news, views and amazing moments.
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FRIDAY Go Ballistic is back with Roger Hannah and top tipster Jim Delahunt looking ahead to the weekend games and analysing the biggest talking points. Subscribe now and don't miss a thing. I may be wrong but I’m not sure Brendan Rodgers has ever been really taken by him.
That might sound odd, but there were times last season when he was left on the bench. Adam Idah came in on loan and started a few games. Now Rodgers has spent £9.
5million to get Idah on a permanent deal and there’s bound to be pressure to play him. Rodgers rarely starts two strikers and he was full of praise for Maeda after his two-goal display in the Premier Sports Cup win over Hibs last Sunday. If Kyogo departed — and I still think that’s a big ‘if’ — I’m sure Rodgers could make do with Idah and Maeda as his main options through the middle.
For me, Maeda isn’t a typical wide player in a Rodgers team. He likes his wide attackers to get touches on the ball and play. Maeda is lightning-quick, can finish and has loads of qualities.
But I still think Nicolas Kuhn, James Forrest and even Luis Palma are wide players more suited to Rodgers’ way of playing. Kuhn has been a revelation this season. He’s scored three goals in three games.
Forrest’s return to form at the end of last season and start of this term has also been a huge boost. Palma can’t get in the team right now, and he’s another that Rodgers paid decent money for. Celtic & City XI Manchester City have targeted Kyogo Furuhashi as a potential replacement for £82million World Cup winner Julian Alvarez.
But the Japanese star would not be the first player to wear the Light Blue of the English Premier League champions and Hoops of the Scottish title winners. Since the turn of the century, no fewer than 14 stars have been at both clubs. Here, SunSport looks at those aces.
3-4-3 formation: Keeper: Joe Hart (City 2006-16, Celtic 21-23) Defence: Kolo Toure (City 09-12, Celtic 2016); Dedryck Boyata (City 09-14, Celtic 15-18); Jason Denayer (City 14-15, Celtic 2014) Midfield: Patrick Roberts (City 15-22, Celtic 16-18); Willo Flood (City 04/04, Celtic 08/09), Eyal Berkovic (Celtic 99-00, City 01/03); Scott Sinclair (City 12/14, Celtic 16/19) Attack: Craig Bellamy (Celtic 04, City 08/09); John Guidetti (City 10/15, Celtic 14/15); Georgios Samaras (City 05/07, Celtic 07/13). Subs: Jeremie Frimpong (City 16/19, Celtic 19/21); Chris Killen (City 98/01, Celtic 07/09), Kasper Schmeichel (City 06-09, Celtic 24/-). Put simply, Idah, Kuhn and Palma are all Rodgers signings — and Kyogo isn’t.
Throw in the ongoing questions over his shoulder injury and you can see a Celtic future without their talismanic No8. That’s before we find out whether Kyogo’s new agents have smoked out any other clubs who might fancy making a bid in this transfer window. Read more on the Scottish Sun MORAY MANIA Cops called amid huge queues as fizzy drink re-launch causes chaos MURRAY MAKEOVER Andy Murray hit with fresh warning over renovations at luxury Cromlix hotel That said, I DO think he’ll still be a Celtic player by the time Rangers arrive at Parkhead next Sunday lunchtime.
But Kyogo to City makes sense — and him moving there or elsewhere might even be one less headache for Rodgers. Keep up to date with ALL t h e latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page.
