Kyogo Furuhashi and Celtic FC have finalized a new four-year deal, keeping the star forward with the Glasgow club through 2027.
The Scottish Premiership team announced the news on its website on Tuesday, July 4, but didn't disclose financial figures. His initial four-year deal with the club was to expire in 2025.
Furuhashi, 28, thrived under former Celtic FC manager Ange Postecoglou, scoring 54 goals in 83 matches (in all competitions) since joining the team after leaving the J.League's Vissel Kobe in 2021.
By signing Furuhashi to a new contract, Celtic FC delivers a message that it is striving to have some continuity in place under new manager Brendan Rogers.
In June, Rogers replaced Postecoglou after the latter's departure to take over as English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspurs' new manager.
Furuhashi said he is confident Rogers will be a successful leader for Celtic.
"I am looking forward to getting started and working with Brendan," Furuhashi was quoted as saying in the team's news release. "He is a top-level manager, he knows the club and knows what it takes to win silverware here. My teammates [and I] are looking forward to working with him."
A New Era for Furuhashi and His Teammates
Rogers, who previously guided England's Leicester City, called Furuhashi "an important player for us" as the team begins a new era under new leadership.
"He is an exciting player who is hungry to bring more success to our club," Rogers said, according to Celtic's official website, "[and] he has a great mentality and is an unbelievable talent.
"I am looking forward to working with him and helping him and the wider team develop to help drive the club forward."
Celtic FC is coming off a glorious 2022-23 campaign in which it won the domestic treble (Scottish Premiership, Scottish Cup and League Cup), achieving that exceptional feat for the eighth time. It was a season in which Furuhashi scored a league-high 27 goals in 36 matches ― and a total of 34 goals in 50 matches (in all competitions).
Furuhashi was named the Scottish Football Writers' Association Player of the Year. He also received the PFA Scotland Players' Player of the Year award.
'I Am Very Happy'
Looking ahead, Furuhashi said he is committed to being an integral part of Celtic FC's continued pursuit of excellence.
"I am very happy to extend my stay for four years at this incredible club. It is an honor to represent Celtic Football Club and our amazing supporters," Furuhashi said in a statement.
"Last season was unbelievable. From the start of the campaign, our aim was to do as well as we could in every competition we played in. We worked very hard every day, on and off the pitch, to win silverware and put smiles on our fans' faces."
The Nara Prefecture native, who started his pro career with FC Gifu in 2017, added: "To win my first treble, and help secure a world record-breaking eighth treble for the club was a very proud moment for me and I cherish the memories of celebrating this with our fans.
"They have been so supportive of me since I joined Celtic so I will work hard to repay them."
A Look Ahead
The 2023-24 Scottish Premiership season kicks off on August 5, when Celtic plays host to Ross County.
Before that, Celtic will embark on a preseason tour to Japan to play a pair of exhibition matches against the J.League's Yokohama F. Marinos on July 19 (7 PM) at Nissan Stadium and July 22 (7 PM) against Gamba Osaka at Panasonic Stadium.
Although a new manager is now in charge, Furuhashi said he'll have the same focus whenever he steps onto the field.
"Next season our objective is the same ― to bring success to our club," the Japanese star stated. "I am excited to defend our trophies and the opportunity to represent this huge club in the Champions League. My personal motivation is to score more goals and help my teammates win matches."
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Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and Twitter ＠ed_odeven.
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