Celtic attacker Kyogo Furuhashi is unlikely to leave the club and move to the Premier League this summer, according to former striker Frank McAvennie.
The Lowdown: Kyogo a key man for Celtic
The Japanese starlet has been outstanding for the Hoops this season, scoring 19 times in just 21 Scottish Premiership appearances and inspiring them to the top of the table.
Kyogo's overall tally for Celtic now stands at 42 goals in 66 matches, highlighting what a key man he has been for manager Ange Postecoglou since they both arrived.
The 28-year-old's current Hoops deal doesn't expire until the summer of 2025 but his head could always be turned by interest from England, with reports recently revealing Crystal Palace are scouting a potential move.
The Latest: Attacker backed to stay
Speaking to Football Insider, however, McAvennie backed Furuhashi to remain a Celtic player beyond the summer transfer window, ignoring the interest from Patrick Vieira's side:
"I don’t think so. I think everyone in that Celtic team is capable of moving to the Premier League. But it’s the same as Postecoglou, I can’t see it happening yet.
"You can never say never in football. Kyogo won’t be here forever, but I think he’s still got unfinished business. It’s a good sign when the manager and his players are being targeted. You want that because it means they’re doing well.
"This Celtic team are all having fun and they’re so together at the moment. I’m sure his pace would frighten people in the Premier League. But I’m not sure he has the strength to play in England."
The Verdict: Would be a big loss
Furuhashi is one of the few players at Celtic who feels indispensable currently, given his aforementioned goalscoring form this season, so losing him this summer would be a big blow.
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The £19,000-a-week ace has been hailed as a 'terrific' player by assistant manager John Kennedy and the hope is that he remains at Parkhead for many years to come.
The lure of the Premier League is something that is hard to ignore however, whether it be the quality of players or money on offer, so Celtic could find it difficult to keep hold of 16-cap Furuhashi if an offer arrived.