Kyogo Furuhashi could return to the UK six months after Celtic exit as Birmingham City eye move for Rennes man | OneFootball

Former Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi has emerged as a summer transfer target for Birmingham City barely six months after he left the Parkhead club, according to French outlet L’Equipe.

The 30-year-old Japanese joined Ligue 1 club Rennes for £10 million after leaving the Hoops during the last January transfer window, but he found playing opportunities scarce to come by and could be on his way out of the French top-flight.

Furuhashi notched 85 goals for Celtic after arriving from Vissel Kobe in 2021, eventually winning nine major trophies with the Parkhead club.

He told manager Brendan Rodgers he wanted to leave for a top league many months before his eventual departure, and some German clubs are also monitoring his situation.

It is unknown whether Celtic included a sell-on clause in the deal which took him to Rennes, but they could do with a windfall right now as they look to bolster their squad this summer.

Furuhashi was limited to just six appearances after joining the French club as manager Habib Beye, who replaced Jorge Sampaoli after the Argentine requested for the former Hoops star, is not an admirer of his qualities.

He will not be short of suitors despite his unfortunate spell in France, and he could be left ruing his decision to leave Celtic given the outstanding time he had in Scotland.

A return to the Parkhead club for Kyogo is not on the cards right now, but the grass is not always greener on the other side, with Kieran Tierney returning home six years after he left for Arsenal.

The Bhoys have moved on from the Asian, ending the 2024-25 season with the Scottish Premiership title and the Scottish League Cup, and Rodgers will look to further strengthen his attack this summer to impress in the Champions League next term.