Celtic have just over two months left to bolster their playing squad before the summer transfer window, which opened earlier this month, slams shut.
The Hoops are yet to make their first signing of the summer as they prepare to strengthen Brendan Rodgers’ team ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
They are coming off the back of winning a domestic double last season in the Northern Irish head coach’s first year back in the dugout at Parkhead.
The Bhoys secured the Scottish Premiership title for the third year in succession and then won the SFA Cup, with a 1-0 win over Rangers at Hampden Park, thanks to a goal from loanee Adam Idah.
It was recently reported that Celtic want to sign the Irish striker on a permanent deal but Norwich’s new manager, Johannes Hoff Thorup, wants to take a look at him in pre-season before making a decision on his future
If they fail to convince the Canaries to part ways with the 6 foot 3 marksman then they could go into next season with Kyogo Furuhashi as their main source of goals once again.
They could land the Japan international an exciting partner at the top end of the pitch to ease the goalscoring burden as they are reportedly in the market to land a new forward.
Celtic’s interest in exciting young winger
According to GhanaSoccerNet, Celtic are one of a number of clubs competing to land a deal for Sogndal Fotball winger Edmund Baidoo this summer.
The report claims that there is ‘significant’ interest in his signature from several teams thanks to his impressive form in the second tier in Norway this year.
It states that Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion have made their move to speak with the player and his representatives ahead of a possible transfer.
GhanaSoccerNet adds that Leeds United, Celtic, and Club Brugge are also in the mix to sign the talented youngster to bolster their attacking ranks.
The report also reveals that his contract does not expire until the summer of 2027 and this means that Sogndal are under little pressure to cash in on him.
Although, it remains to be seen how much the Norwegian side are likely to demand for the teenage whiz, amid interest from a host of clubs across Europe this summer.
If the Hoops can strike an agreement with them and win the race for his signature then they could land an exciting partner for Kyogo in the Premiership next season, if the young talent can make the step up to Scottish football.
Kyogo Furuhashi’s struggles last season
You could have forgiven Celtic supporters for expecting big things from the Japanese forward last season after his terrific performances under Ange Postecoglou the previous year.
He had just won the PFA Scotland Player of the Year award for the 2022/23 campaign after a staggering return of 27 goals in 31 Premiership appearances.
Unfortunately, the 29-year-old attacker could not replicate that success under Rodgers last term as he struggled in front of goal throughout the 2023/24 season.
As you can see in the table above, the Japan international’s form fell off a cliff from the 2022/23 campaign to last term, with his goalscoring touch seemingly deserting him.
Kyogo spurned a staggering 24 ‘big chances’ and only found the back of the net 14 times in his 38 games, whilst he underperformed his xG of 18.39 by 4.39 – the largest underperformance in the squad.
This shows that the experienced dud did not make the most of the chances that his teammates were consistently creating for him in the Premiership.
