Celtic eye more transfer targets in Japan to follow Kyogo Furuhashi

Kyogo Furuhashi’s early success at Celtic and emergence as a Parkhead fan favourite may not be an isolated incident.
Celtic's Kyogo Furuhashi. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)Celtic's Kyogo Furuhashi. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)
Celtic's Kyogo Furuhashi. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)

Ange Postecoglou has admitted returning to his former workplace, the Japanese J-League, for further recruits to follow Furuhashi’s trail is on the agenda in January as he seeks to add to a Celtic squad still thin despite a flurry of activity, in-and-out, over the summer transfer window.

The signing search will not be limited to Asia though with arrivals from Holland, Portugal, Russia an the Premier League already complementing Furuhashi this year – and more are being eyed for next.

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“There’s no secret we still need to add to the squad,” Postecoglou admitted. “We were never going to do it in one transfer window, particularly when you look at the significant exits we had over the past year.

“This was always going to be a two to three window process. We are looking at January at the moment.

“We know the areas we need to bolster up. That’s what we are trying to target.”

Furuhashi has slotted in to Postecoglou’s principles and vision for Celtic and the groundwork is already underway for strengthening further. Those player already being lined up by Celtic’s recruiters will have to fit into the Australian’s set system and pressing style of play – and the personnel could be those he knows well from his three and a half years in the J-League.

“That’s one of the markets we will be looking at. Obviously I know it really well and they will get to the end of their season which is a good time if there’s anyone who will fit into our set-up,” Postecoglou went on. “But we will be looking everywhere.

"The last window was frantic. This time we want to make sure that we are planning well in advance.

“We have already identified targets and begun discussions before we get to January so that we can conclude deals a lot quicker than we did in the previous window.’

“I don’t expect us to do a lot of business but we will definitely be adding something to the squad.”

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