Celtic are set to face a ‘fight’ to retain the services of Kyogo Furuhashi this summer, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Kyogo's admission

The Hoops striker isn’t out of contract in the Scottish Premiership until 2025, but being Ange Postecoglou’s top-performing offensive player, has been attracting interest.

Football Insider report that Crystal Palace are weighing up an approach for the 28-year-old, who could be offered fresh terms to extend his stay in the hope of fending off attention.

The Japan international recently shut down exit rumours by stating that his immediate focus is on the Bhoys, but admitted that he doesn’t know what the future will hold.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones insisted that Celtic could find it difficult to keep hold of Furuhashi due to his consistent high level of performance. He said:

“I don’t see anything but a fight to hold onto this player - you know when you are onto something good, and things just click, and he’s just a great fit for this side; he sets the balance perfectly.”

This comes following claims earlier in the week that the Hoops board may cash in if it's for 'big' money.

The Verdict: New deal deserved

Kyogo has played a significant role in Celtic’s success, winning the Scottish Premiership and League Cup titles since joining, so offering him a new contract would be nothing less than he deserves.

The Ikoma native has posted 51 goal contributions in 67 appearances north of the border and is currently averaging 2.5 shots per league game.

The Hoops talisman also provides the boss with excellent versatility having operated in seven different positions throughout his career, making him a useful option to have in the building.

He has been hailed an ‘intelligent’ forward with 'ridiculous' ability by journalist Josh Bunting which makes it easy to see why Premier League teams feel he can adapt to a big move, so Celtic need to do everything they can to keep him beyond the current campaign.