It wouldn’t be a big night for Celtic without some breaking negative news story, and this one came from France, apparently.
It was gleefully amplified by an ecstatic Scottish media, which seems to believe that we’re on the brink of selling our number one striker right now—when we’ve still got one critical Champions League game left to play.
Last night, we got through.
But the job isn’t finished. Not the full job. Not the whole job. Maybe not even the main job. Because the main job is to finish as high in that competition as we possibly can. The job is to get the best overall result. That means securing the highest place finish achievable. We have one more match.
And I cannot conceive of any circumstances under which we’d sell our number one striker going into the final game.
We can’t replace him. There’s nobody we can promote, bring in, or register for the Villa game who isn’t already at the club. While I’d reluctantly accept Kyogo’s departure before this window closes—if we bring in a top-class striker to replace him—there is absolutely no justification to do it before next Wednesday. None whatsoever. No footballing reason at all. No reason that makes a shred of sense.
If Celtic sell Kyogo before the Aston Villa game, with Maeda already banned for that match, I can only conclude that there’s a non-football reason behind it.
I’m perfectly willing to state what I think that reason would be. It would be a bean-counter decision by someone more interested in cashing in on a player who’s now 30 than in thinking about the best interests of this team.
Because otherwise, it would not make a lick of sense.
Do I think it’ll happen?
No, because it would be a staggering act of self-sabotage if it did. Qualification wasn’t the only thing at stake last night. We netted £2.5 million for the win. We still have a game to play and that game is worth another £2.5 million in prize money alone, just for the three points. There are additional sums of money up for grabs for every position higher we finish in the group.
While I think a place in the top eight is beyond us—too many teams are already on 12 points and can reach 15 in the final game, with better goal differences—it may also impact the draw we get.
With Maeda already out, the idea that we would, could, or should even contemplate selling Kyogo makes about as much sense as your average Philippe Clement press conference. The £2.5 million at stake for winning the game is a quarter of the fee we’d reportedly bring in for the Japanese striker. And we’d be putting that at risk just to bank the money a week earlier than necessary.
If Kyogo wants to go, he has to know there’s unfinished business here. He should finish that business first. Selling him now wouldn’t just be ludicrous as a footballing decision; it doesn’t even stack up as a business decision.
But let me tell you, it would sum up this club to a T.
It’s exactly the kind of suicidally stupid thing I can see certain people in our boardroom approving. Thoughtless, ignorant of the footballing effects, and equally ignorant of what it will mean for the balance sheet.
To leave money on the table, to quite possibly forfeit a place in the last 16, if we can get a favourable draw—where the minimum prize is another jackpot worth £11 million, which is more than Kyogo’s transfer fee—would be madness.
And for those reasons, I don’t believe we’ll do it, because surely, the people who matter at the club cannot be that short-sighted. Surely, we cannot be that wilfully ignorant. Surely, we cannot be that stupid as to inflict such a blatant handicap on ourselves.
Oh, don’t get me wrong; I know there are people at the club who are just that stupid, arrogant, blind, and short-sighted. But Brendan Rodgers is not one of them and this decision, like all footballing decisions, must rest in his hands.
Photo by Ross Parker/SNS Group via Getty Images
The latest Trinity Tims podcast is out now! We called this one The Bumps In The Road.
Please watch, like and share widely friends!
James, what makes you think he would be off before next week? I haven’t seen that suggestion anywhere else, and If he is going I am quite sure the buying club would accommodate us and allow his participation against Villa. They would have no choice actually as he is our player and the time it takes to get these deals fully completed would also support that preferred outcome.
A 10Million fee, if it is genuine, cannot be turned down by Celtic, for at his age it is a no brainer. Que sera, sera.
I’m not comparing the players directly, but Harry Kane moved to Bayern from Spurs, aged 30, for £100m. £10m for Kyogo, I’d say, is absolutely nowhere near a ‘no brainer’ but our board are less likely to feel the same!
Another factor to consider here is, will Kyogo actually agree to move on? It has taken him a few years now to learn some basic English, so will he be prepared to uproot and embrace a new language and culture? In my opinion the wee man still looks happy in his skin, he loves the Celtic support and he may not want another upheaval in his life. I suppose it will all depend on how much he might earn with a move, signing on fee, wages etc., for in that he is no different from any of the rest of us, money talks.
He is the best striker since Larsson and I will be every happy if he stays.
Our current board have consistently prioritised the PLC over the needs of the football club, it;s why we have 70 million sitting in the bank and consecutive managers have had key players sold at critical times, anyone who thinks the board wouldn’t sanction the sale of Kyogo has a short memory. If our board were truly interested in Celtic FC being as good as it possibly could be then the money sitting in the bank would be on the football field. The money in the bank is generated by the Football Club and belongs to the Football Club, everything the board does should be with the aim of putting the strongest team on the park, this means Kyogo must stay until the end of the season at the very least.
Kyogo will sign for Rennes today, As I said. PLC first FC second.
Brendan has said if anyone wants to go then so be it… get the best price and let them go, in this case I think Kyogo will go after the Villa game,…and good luck to him too.
Hope you are right James but as much as I love Celtic, I know it is run like Tesco, not a football club and cash is king, I have no faith in our board keeping Kyogo when dollar signs are in front of their eyes. Greed usually trumps logic
If he wants to go he should be allowed to leave but only after the Villa game.
At 30 this will be his last chance of a bigger move to a top league.
He has given Celtic great service and is the best forward since Larson.
Remember this has always been Celtics transfer strategy and will make about a £6m profit.
Combined with other players leaving this window there will be about £18m in transfer fees and wage savings.
A lot will depend on what we do with this money.
The whispers of Kyogo leaving, seem to be gathering momentum amongst our fanbase and social media.
For what my opinion is worth, I don’t see him leaving in this window, but again, I’d prefer to put my trust in BR and find out what his wishes may be.
I love the wee man, ( as I do Maeda & Hatate,) and what he has brought to our club. Definitely our best striker since Larsson, and I feel he’s still got a few important goals to score for us.
Whether he leaves in this window, summer or later, none of us would begrudge him a move to a better league. He’s been a fantastic and invaluable signing for Celtic and is a hero to many of our younger ( and probably older lol) fans!
I hope he stays for as long as possible!
Kyogo Furuhashi…A wonderful footballer and person ! HH
Though there seems even more noise in last few hours that he is away soon !
The only way this can could be looked at as entirely plausible or justifiable is if we have a top quality striker lined up alongside another 2-3 big hitters!
Anything other than that would be utterly disgraceful and a complete dereliction of duty towards BR, team and fans !
Fingers crossed it’s all good ! HH
Looks like Kyogo is off today.Obviously Brendan thinks the Villa game is a dead rubber.
I doubt BR will have had much say in this, I reckon Kyogo has wanted to move and therefore the board will cash in.
Looks like he’s off James
Looks like he’s going James which means Brendan’s happy to let him go. Very strange decision, I agree, but its his call so we have to trust him…..
I’m fine with him going. The wee man has been great for us but £10m for a 30 year old is great business. And no one can argue he hasn’t been at his best this season.
Brendand must now have a striker lined up though as Idah alone won’t be enough. Jota and KT coming in as well would be fantastic.
Will miss him sorely if he goes though…
Players like him simply don’t grow on trees !!!
Totally agree,if we sell Kyogo, get beaten next week,we’ve selectively sold him for 7.5million,that makes no sense whatsoever,Rodgers would not allow that,if this happens then the boards fingers are all over it,purely a monetary decision,grabbing the cash.
The wee guy wanted to go in the summer & now his next chance to move & club happy to let someone go who wants away, the rest is just daily stuff for club to sort, folk come & go but we stay & move on backing the team.