Is Kyogo Furuhashi Celtic’s next Centurion?

The words of former Celtic striker John Hartson when he spoke to The Celtic Way earlier this year. The Welshman is now even more convinced after Kyogo put pen to paper earlier this week on a new four-year deal ending speculation that the goalscoring talisman's departure was in the offing.

The attacker was a £4.6 million signing from Vissel Kobe in the summer of 2021, his contribution to the Celtic cause has been immeasurable. 54 goals in 83 games tell their own story. 
Hartson knows a Celtic centurion in the making when he sees one. After all, he is in the exclusive 100 goals club for Celtic after plundering 110 for the men in green and white. It is a list that contains some illustrious names such as Jimmy McGrory, Henrik Larsson, Bobby Lennox, Jimmy Johnstone, Bobby Murdoch, Kenny Dalglish, Charlie Nicholas, Frank McGarvey and Brian McClair, to name but a few.

He said: "I remember clearly saying that Kyogo would score a century of goals for Celtic if he sticks around.

"Now that he has signed the new contract, he will have his eyes on that milestone and joining that exclusive list of players who have achieved that for Celtic. I'm sure that Kyogo will think that with 54 goals to his name right now then the 100-goal mark will be a realistic and achievable target for him within the next two seasons.

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"The player to notch 100 goals before me was Henrik Larsson and the one after me was Leigh Griffiths. James Forrest has also achieved it since as well. If Kyogo stays at the club for the next two years, then I am convinced the next one to do it will be Kyogo and he will become a Celtic centurion.

"I always say if a centre-forward for Celtic or Rangers is not getting between 20 to 25 goals a season, then it means you are not doing their job properly. You do get a lot of chances because of the calibre of player that you plan with. If you are not scoring a bundle of goals then you are not living up to the reputation of being a striker for Celtic.

"After my first goal for Celtic, I wanted to hit 100. I am sure Kyogo would be thrilled to add his name to the 100 goals club list. Kyogo will already have his eyes on that prize and he will probably achieve it in the least amount of time. He will definitely want to etch his own name on that list.

Hartson believes that there are three main drivers as to why Kyogo committed his immediate future to Celtic and refused to join the likes of Ange Postecoglou and Jota, who both recently headed for the Parkhead exit door.

"Firstly Kyogo has shown Celtic some loyalty by inking a new deal. I know loyalty can change and sometimes contracts are not worth the paper they are written on because Jota signed a five-year deal last summer, didn't he? Now he's gone.

"Kieran Tierney was also on a significant contract before Arsenal came in and he left Celtic. So, if a team comes in with a bid of £30 million for Kyogo between now and the summer then he'll be gone too.

"Secondly, this new contract will elevate him to being one of the highest earners at the club. I feel that his goals and the importance of the goals that he has scored since he came to the club are deserving of a financial reward as well.

"Thirdly, it basically tells you that by securing Kyogo on a new deal at Celtic then any potential buying club would have to pay a lot more money for him. This covers Celtic as they would get proper money for him."

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Harston doesn't use these words lightly, but when he tells you that he does rate Kyogo in the 'world-class' bracket then you need to sit up and listen. After having a career that spanned 15 years, including playing for Arsenal and being capped 54 times for his country, his opinion on strikers certainly holds some weight.

"I am delighted [he has signed a new contract] as I think he is an outstanding centre-forward. I have called him world-class and I think he could do it at any level as I've watched his movement and his technique. Kyogo comes alive in the box. In that penalty area, he is wonderful and he is just a predator.

"We have seen him score some goals from outside the box with his natural ability and talent. A lot of his goals tend to be like the one he scored against Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the Scottish Cup final. That was a brilliant goal. It was a real striker's goal. He showed the defender that he was going to run to the back post and then darted to the near post and flashed home a superb finish.

"That run to the near post is Kyogo's trademark and any young, budding striker should study his movements. It's the balance of the run and it is all to do with timing. Kyogo is just a master at getting to the near post as the ball comes across."

There is one box that remains unticked for Kyogo and that is to get off the mark in the Champions League. The 28-year-old drew a blank in six Champions League group matches against Real Madrid, RB Leipzig and Shakhtar Donetsk last season.

But Hartson insists Kyogo will be determined to right that wrong under Rodgers. He said: "I think Kyogo definitely had chances to score and break his duck at the Champions League level last season. I never really got too disappointed and disgruntled by missing chances, I was more concerned if they were not coming my way.

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"The Champions League is the highest level around and if he keeps getting into the position and he is presented with the opportunities then I have no doubt in my mind that he will score. 

"I wouldn't be putting too much pressure on myself if I was Kyogo as I would still concentrate on getting into those positions as he just needs one to go in off his knee or his backside just to prove that he can produce on the biggest stage of all which is the Champions League."