The transfer window is a curious thing, isn’t it? It brings out the worst in some people, and the craziness of it can really knock you for six.
A few weeks ago, on our Round Table podcast on this site, featuring myself, Matthew Marr, and my friend Jonny Garner, we discussed the Celtic transfer window and whether there were any players who were considered untouchable, absolutely not for sale under any circumstances.
All three of us agreed on Cameron Carter-Vickers and Callum McGregor—two absolute rocks on which Celtic is built. Remove them at your peril.
After Jonny and Matt had spoken about this, I asked them both the same question: why hasn’t anyone mentioned Kyogo as one of the untouchables?
I think that within the current system, Kyogo is replaceable.
Had we been contemplating his sale at the start of the window, I wouldn’t have been too terrified or too disheartened. I would have seen it as a Rodgers decision and would have trusted that there was a plan. See, I can see the logic in the idea.
I dismissed the Manchester City story today, and still do, for two reasons: first, I don’t think it’s remotely likely that City don’t have better options, and second, the sale of Kyogo with just 10 days left in the window is virtually unthinkable.
If we’d had two months’ lead time to do our due diligence and secure a replacement, and—crucially—find a player who could fit into Rodgers’ style, I would have been fairly relaxed about the idea of letting Kyogo leave if the offer was right.
He is 29, that shoulder injury is a constant headache for us and a permanent source of fear among the support. He is an outstanding footballer, and in Postecoglou’s system, he was an irreplaceable part of the machine. But the machine is different now. It’s built differently, it works differently, and it has a different architect.
But time is of the essence, and we are almost out of it.
I have no doubt that Kyogo would want to go to Manchester City, no doubt whatsoever. If this story had any basis in reality and they made us an offer that met our valuation, there would be some tension on the part of the player and the club if the club said no.
But here’s the reality: he’s under contract until 2027, and sometimes a player who wants a move doesn’t get it simply because the club is not in a position to sell.
And that is where we are right now.
We are not in a position to do this business.
Had this come earlier in the window, when we were ready for it, we might have contemplated it. I think if the right offer had come early in the window, we would have let Kyogo go, no matter what a lot of the fan base thought about it.
But back then, at the beginning of the window, you could have sold this to the fans—some of the fans—who would have broadly agreed with the deal and the economics of it, understanding our inability to stand in the guy’s way if the club making the offer was of sufficient size.
In the middle of the window, it might have been just as permissible.
But here we are with 10 days left, in the last knockings.
And that’s what renders it unthinkable, even if the story itself didn’t smell bad. See, when you ignore the headlines which scream as if this is already done, and some of which suggest that talks have already been held, you get to the heart of it; one guy says Kyogo is on their shortlist. Everything else is people jumping at shadows and seeing what they want to.
But imagine it’s true; this club could never sell this to the fans at this stage.
They couldn’t sell it to the manager at this stage.
This would be like Moussa Dembélé’s last-minute departure all over again, and we know that sale was one of the things that precipitated the final crisis with Rodgers. No matter what he says about the whole club being in agreement on that, I cannot believe—and I do not believe—that he was relaxed about us letting our best striker go without a replacement on the final transfer day.
This club cannot do that to Rodgers again.
This club will not do that to Rodgers again.
Any inquiry we get for Kyogo at this stage ought to be rejected out of hand.
He’s not for sale.
Like I said, with some lead time, maybe that’s something we could sanction. But if we do this now, it will be seen as a colossal betrayal of the supporters and the man in the dugout. A needless, reckless, self-defeating act of utter insanity.
We are in the final stretch of a transfer window already widely regarded by many fans as a disaster because we are not yet stronger than we were on the last day of the last campaign. This would be like a slap in the face, and it cannot be permitted. It cannot be countenanced. What’s that word I’ve been using? Oh yeah. It’s unthinkable.
James, as unlikely as the provenance of this rumour / SMSM Wet Dream is, the Celtic Board wouldn’t give a rats arse about what the fan’s reaction would be to his Sale at this point.
If they could get a reasonable few million for a player who is 29 years of age, contracted to 2027 and who has a ‘dodgy shooder’ they would be having a whip round for the cab fare to Manchester.
SFA,spot on mate ,this board would sell our best asset on the last minute of the last day of the transfer window if the money was right,I have no doubt about James’s assertion that city could look further but if they did offer to buy kyogo our illustrious board would sell and not give a flying fuck what the fans felt about it.
Here’s a daft question, if anybody would know the answer?
Would BR – or could BR – have negotiated a % cut on player sales???
It seems he will never achieve ‘progress in Europe’ if the Board
remains reluctant to strengthen the squad,
– whilst remaining keen to sell our best players –
and when the club is embarrassingly flush with cash?
Why would any manager – nevermind BR – accept that…?
It’s all about the monthly bank statement …is it not with this board ? As long as this month’s balance is higher than last month’s ,that is the print in the bible for them . Would you be shocked if their attitude was of ; big Adam is the first striker and now Daizen can play centre forward as proven last Sunday as a cover ? Let’s cash in on Kyogo ..great business .. big Robert is your mother’s brother !Loadsabunce…..
I don’t know I still don’t trust them……I still can’t stop thinking we are up for sale, and a chance to put another 40m approx in the bank (if you include MOR) would be too much to refuse .
Hi James,
I do love your confidence. I’m not sure where you manage to muster that from though!
I posted a comment a few weeks ago, straight after Kyogo got himself a new agent, and suggested that the Board would look to cash in on at least 2 of O’Riley, Hatate & Kyogo and that I wouldn’t be surprised if all 3 were playing their football elsewhere when the transfer window closed. Oh, how the happy clappers scorned! (now we’re getting some pish about bandwidth?! Go figure)
I also suggested we’d be weaker in terms squad depth and quality at the same time (currently we need about 8 first team quality additions as it is – CB(x2), LB, LW, RW, No.6, No.8, No.10). That’s just to make us competitive in Europe.
Never mind, the Board will be able to set a new record for executive bonuses. Do Chairmen get bonuses by any chance?
Lawell gtf,I fear everything you say about this board is true, everyone on this site feels the same about the motives of this board,I’m assuming everyone on this site has Celtic at heart,so why do the fans ,the ST holders ,the merchandise buyers, Celtic TV subscribers ,why is nothing ever done to usurp this board,they prove every year that all they want is to stay ahead of sevco who are pish poor anyway,they don’t want sevco to die again,but are content to see us getting humiliated every year in Europe and each year the humiliation gets worse,why don’t the fans take some action, because after this season we won’t get automatic entry into CL for winning the league,and the way the board downgrade our team we won’t get through 2 or 3 qualifiers,at the moment we are dire in Europe and under desmond and liewell we will regress,and the Celtic fans need to wake up to this fact and take action,but I fear they are too loyal/ gullible.
With respect “appalling vista” may be more appropriate. Nothing would surprise me with this board. I agree with your comments it would be basically sabotage.How much would a player of Kyogo’s ability cost us .Hopefully common sense prevails.
Don’t think, with his recurrent injury, that Kyogo is anywhere near Man City’s thoughts. That is, as you have mentioned, unthinkable in Celtic terms.
Whomever thought this up is doolally biscuits.
That’ll be some zombie flavoured journalist then.
It’s come from Man City journo you eejit
That would be great for bringing in future players wouldn’t it James? Denying a player a move to Man City ffs.
What young player full of potential would want to come to us if we acted in that way?
You know yourself even if we didn’t get a replacement inz which we will, we’d still win the league with Idah/Maeda up front
I certainly don’t trust the media – Especially The Scummy Scottish Football Version for sure…
That said – I don’t trust our board either in such a scenario should it occur !
Agree with that. Although granted, there’s nae absolute guarantees that it isn’t true. There are media outlets and journos, who like nothin more, than unsettlin a key Celtic player. Try and mess with his head. Seen it umpteen times. And unless there’s some tangible evidence, instead of some speculative comment, or notion that’s gained wings (and that includes with sky) how can we expect this tae be any different.
You know what James I have completely bypassed your story altogether because you can give the board a million reasons they can’t sell Kyogo Furuhashi……but don’t dare them. Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water. The Celtic board are the great whites of the football World and money to them is like blood and nothing but nothing else matters.
Would expect Kyogo to be gone by the end of January anyway. He made it known he wanted a move months ago and changed agent. My worry is the board sanctioned Idah at that price with a view to him being 1st choice.
Which in and of itself is maybe fine, but if we also lose Kyogo and (I know..) Oh, we’re left very short. Maybe I’m a cynic, but Maeda through the middle vs Hibs looks very “trial” now, in the current context.
I’m still hearing rumours that we’re confident about upgrading LCB, LB and one wing, with a move to less project type CM to replace MOR so we might end up reasonably happy… But I think the board have been caught napping. We should’ve been ready for replacing at least 2 of Kyogo, CCV, Hatate and MOR this summer, just based on cycles alone.
Martin,” board caught napping” that’s got to be the understatement of the year, unless of course these devious bastards on the board know exactly what they’re doing,I’m not sure which is right.
What (hopefully not but….) might have some legs in Kyogo is we played them in the US and if the City mgmt bench got a close up (again) then they may have thought, ‘he could do a job for us, especially with our team laying it on a plate for him’.
What (hopefully) might happen is we cannot find a replacement and with CL tickets to be sold and new strips, they think, ah we’ll let him go in January or next year. Guess we’ll know soon but….
Another site did pick up on the fact the press haven’t had a clue about our outgoings so why are they so informed about our incomings? With the likes of Oh and Kobayashi away, there was no word of that until it almost happened.
We probably will lose MOR. For him, it’ll be like VVD going to Liverpool, via Southampton. Matt could easily be sold on within 2 years to a top 6 side or abroad. So a couple of replacements – one for immediate impact and one more development, makes sense. I’d go for Engels and Bogusz. Because we’re likely not to get both so see which one pans out. And McCowan, which would also help our homegrown quota.
We need a LB, CB, MF and a CF. We seem to be active for a MF. Lets see if we can bag a LB and CB and if there’s any movement with Kyogo, have to be looking at a striker. The rumours are only going to increase