Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi has admitted that he is ‘happy’ with life in the Scottish Premiership amid rumours linking him with a summer exit.
The Lowdown: Palace readying bid?
The Japanese won’t be out of contract at Parkhead until 2025, but being Ange Postecoglou’s top-performing offensive player, has been generating interest ahead of the upcoming window.
Football Insider report that Crystal Palace hold a serious interest in signing the 28-year-old which has been backed up by Italian outlet Calciomercato who claim that the Eagles are preparing to make a £20m offer.
The Hoops forward was surprisingly not selected to represent his nation at the World Cup and has once again been omitted for the Euro 2024 qualifiers currently taking place, but this hasn’t changed his view on his future north of the border.
The Latest: Furuhashi’s comments
Speaking during a recent interview in Japan, Furuhashi revealed his stance on his future at Celtic whilst opening up on how his double international exclusion motivated him to increase his performance levels even further.
As quoted by The Daily Record, he said:
"I am really happy in Glasgow. I had prepared to play in the World Cup. But it's useless to talk and think about the past. So after me not getting into the squad happened, I decided I was only going to concentrate on the future at Celtic.
“I wanted to score a goal in every game to help the team win. I have managed to score more goals than any other Japanese player in a season in Europe. My dream of playing in the World Cup for Japan has not come true so far, but the season has been very good for me."
The Verdict: Massive boost
According to journalist Pete O’Rourke, Furuhashi is a ‘fans’ favourite’ at Celtic so it’s a huge boost to learn that he’s only focused on seeing out the project at Parkhead.
The Asics-sponsored forward has clocked up a remarkable 56 goal contributions in 72 appearances since joining where he’s currently averaging 2.6 shots per game, highlighting the constant threat he provides in the final third.
The Bhoys talisman is also an extremely useful option to have in the building with his flexibility to play in seven various positions which is an advantage for the boss should any unexpected injury crisis occur.
Furuhashi has been key to the Hoops’ silverware success securing three titles over the past two seasons and that number is only set to increase should he remain in Glasgow.