Kyogo Furuhashi has made a significant career move by leaving Celtic to join French club Stade Rennes in a deal worth £10 million. The 30-year-old striker departs the Scottish Premiership champions three and a half years after being brought to the club by former manager Ange Postecoglou from J League side Vissel Kobe. During his tenure at Celtic, Kyogo scored an impressive 85 goals in 165 appearances, contributing to the team's success with three Premiership titles, three League Cups, and two Scottish Cup victories.
Kyogo's transfer to Stade Rennes comes after he expressed a desire to leave Celtic several months ago. Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers revealed that Kyogo's aspiration to move grew over time, stating that it was clear the striker wanted to depart. The transfer sees Kyogo signing a two-and-a-half-year deal with Stade Rennes, who currently sit 17th in Ligue 1.
"When I arrived here, Kyogo hadn't scored a goal in the Champions League. If he leaves, he's then shown that he can play at that level." – Brendan Rodgers
The Scottish club has already acted to fill the void left by Kyogo's departure by securing a forward replacement in this transfer window, announcing the return of Jota. Despite Kyogo's exit, Rodgers remains confident in Celtic's ability to achieve success and develop players, even though the Scottish Premiership is not among the top five leagues in the world.
"You can achieve many things here at Celtic. The league might not be one of the top five leagues in the world, but this is a league where you can really develop and show your talent at the very highest level." – Brendan Rodgers
"There can be issues around the timing, but it's not something that's just been sprung on us. We understand that we were going to lose him and we understand that we have to replace that quality to keep the team moving forward." – Brendan Rodgers
Kyogo's decision may have been influenced by conversations with Japan boss Hajime Moriyasu, who has previously criticized the quality of the Scottish Premiership. This dialogue could have played a role in Kyogo's choice to pursue opportunities in one of Europe's top five leagues. The move to Stade Rennes provides him with a platform to further showcase his skills until the summer of 2025.
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