Neil Lennon doesn’t think that Kyogo Furuhashi could play consistently at the top end of the EPL.
With Ange Postecoglou moving to Spurs during the summer there has been speculation that Celtic’s top striker could also be on the move.
After scoring 34 goals while helping Celtic to a domestic treble Kyogo’s importance to the hoops can’t be over emphasised with the player and club appearing to form the perfect partnership.
Te examples of Virgil van Dijk, Kieran Tierney and Moussa Dembele mean that Celtic are always vulnerable to offers from the richer leagues with the club comfortable with its place inside the football cycle.
Lennon has worked with Victor Wanyama, van Dijk and Tierney but told the Daily Mail that he is unsure if Kyogo is in the same bracket:
I have my doubts, yes. I don’t think for one minute that he could replace Harry Kane, for example, if that was to be the case.
He’s a good player. I like his style I’m just not sure he could play consistently at the highest level in the Premier League on a week-to-week basis.
The other thing is that you’ve got Kane there at the minute, you’ve got (Heung-Min) Son, (Dejan) Kulusevski, Richarlison.
These are world-class players that he’d need to break into if he goes to Spurs. I think he could play in the Premier League but maybe just not at the top end at the minute.
There are very few candidates capable of replacing Kane but of the others mentioned by Lennon Son was the next highest scorer for Spurs in the EPL with just 10 goals.
In 12 starts and 15 appearances off the bench Richarlison managed just one goal following his £60m move from Everton.
Very few EPL clubs have an out and out striker like Kane, most rely on a a couple of strikers backed up by goals from elsewhere in the side. Newcastle finished fourth with Callum Wilson scoring 18 goals, Alexander Isak 10 and Miguel Almiron 11 in the EPL.
Hopefully Kyogo is still scoring for Celtic next season but it isn’t too much of a leap to suggest that with his movement and eye for goal he could at least match the scoring record of Son.
During two stints at Celtic Lennon was involved in signing Albian Ajeti, Mo Bangura, Patryk Klimala, Lassad Nouioui and Teemu Pukki.
CLICK HERE for Spurs statistics from last season.
I think most of us thought Lennie was useless at judging a good forward. The duds he signed prove this. Wish he would go away
What a list… Ajeti, Bangura, Klimala, Lassad Nouioui and Pukki… Although maybe that makes Lenny an expert on players not being good enough?! Haha
No offence to Lenny but when your idea of a quality striker is Albian Ajeti thren you needs to shuts yet gob pronto. ..
Joe McHugh, how dare a Celtic legend, both in the dugout and on the field, suggest a league we are in direct (unfairly might I add) competition with should not cherrypick our star goal getter without being told by a random who has never set foot in a ring that they lost a round or 2 when the domestic scene, started and ended a 9IAR while doing so and became our 4th manager to complete a treble, has both his hands tied behind his back.
How dare he… you couch potato coach, you Monday morning quarterback, you backseat driver, no no mark.
Away and write your shopping list and leave Lenny to protect our club ya undercov…ahem… ya Elmer. HH