After an uncomfortable couple of months Hajime Moriyasu appears to be opening the door for Kyogo Furuhashi to return to the Japanese national side.
The Celtic striker looked a lonely figure when he watched the 2022 World Cup squad announced from his home in Glasgow with Daizen Maeda the only Celt included.
Moriyasu has his side playing in a very regimented way, a style that suits Maeda playing through the centre, a role he rarely plays in at Celtic.
Kyogo was again left out of the squad for two March Kirrin Cup ties despite his goals driving Celtic on impressively towards a domestic clean sweep of honours.
Moriyasu is about to make a visit to Europe with The Scotsman reporting him saying:
Kyogo is always a candidate for the national team. I see that he is producing results for Celtic and has the value to play as a force for the Japanese national team at any time. There is still time before the next games, so I don’t know if he will be picked next time. But he will always be a member of the Japanese national team.
On meeting Postecoglou he added:
I’m not good at English myself, so when I saw in the media that he said, ‘Let’s talk’, I was a little nervous. But I got it translated and I realised he said I was always welcome. I have visited Celtic before, but the manager is always welcoming and talks to me about various things. In order to build a friendly relationship again, and because he is a coach I can really respect, I would like to go if there is an opportunity to talk.
Tomoki Iwata is another possible call up for Moriyasu but it looks like it could be next season before he is in contention for a regular place in the Celtic midfield.