If a recent report from The Athletic is believed to be true, Manchester City are plotting a shock move for Celtic attacker Kyogo Furuhashi. The 29-year-old Japanese attacker could be roped in as a squad option following Julian Alvarez’s £81.5m transfer to Atletico Madrid.
While the Citizens are working on a deal to bring Ilkay Gundogan back in the blue half of Manchester, Furuhashi could follow the veteran German midfielder to become their third summer recruit. They have already bolstered the flank by securing the services of Savinho, but the injury of Oscar Bobb has forced them to explore the market for a short-fix in the attacking third.
Furuhashi was one of Ange Postecoglou’s early signings when he plied his trades to Parkhead from Vissel Kobe for £4.5m. He joined the latter from J2 League side FC Gifu and netted 49 goals in 111 outings before leaving for the Glasgow giants. Despite his first-ever experience in European football, the Samurai Blue international hit the ground running on his Celtic debut.
With 73 goals and 16 assists in 135 games, Furuhashi has been pivotal to the Bhoys’ three successive Premiership triumphs. He also clinched both the Scottish Cup and League Cup crowns on two occasions each, and his excellence earned him the PFA Scotland Players’ Player of the Year status for the 2022–23 season.
How Manchester City Would Benefit From Furuhashi’s Arrival
Furuhashi, known for his sharpness and lethal poaching traits inside the box, might be deployed sporadically as the understudy to Erling Haaland. City have ample depth and quality down the wide with Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, Jeremy Doku and Savinho set to challenge each other for first-team status. The Celtic star, though capable of featuring from the wide, is unlikely to be involved as a winger. But his movements in and around the attacking third, build-up game and intelligence should help him attune to the grind and demands of Premier League football.
Why It’s A Major Blow For Celtic
Meanwhile, the Celts would receive a double blow if Furuhashi and Matt O’Riley depart in the same window. They have roped in Paulo Bernardo and Adam Idah on permanent terms after successful loan spells, however, neither of them managed to replace the star duo in the starting XI.
Brendan Rodgers sanctioned Oh Hyeon-gyu’s transfer to Genk earlier this summer and the gaffer, therefore, would be left with Idah as the solitary ‘number 9’ option. It won’t be straightforward for the Northern Irishman to snap up a quality replacement with just over a week remaining before the transfer deadline day.
