Celtic manager Martin O’Neill has played down suggestions that the club could move to bring Kyogo Furuhashi back on loan from Birmingham City during the January transfer window.
Speculation about a possible return for the Japanese forward has grown in recent weeks, but O’Neill has made it clear he does not expect Celtic to pursue a deal. Speaking at his latest press conference, the Celtic boss was asked about the chances of reuniting with Kyogo and was quick to dismiss the idea, describing any move as unlikely.
Kyogo left Celtic less than a year ago when he joined Rennes as part of a swap deal that saw Jota head in the opposite direction. He later moved on to Birmingham City, but his time at St Andrew’s has yet to spark into life. The 30-year-old has not registered a goal contribution since his £10 million summer switch, which has only fuelled talk of a potential return to Glasgow.
O’Neill, who was recently brought back for a second spell in charge following the departure of Wilfried Nancy, said there was little substance to the rumours. “I would have said that would probably be unlikely. Yes, I think that would be unlikely,” he explained.
“I think everything is premature. There is also a feeling that he wants to prove himself at Birmingham, which is understandable.”
While O’Neill did not completely shut the door on the idea, his comments suggest Kyogo is expected to remain with Birmingham and continue fighting for a place in Chris Davies’ side. That view has been echoed by Davies himself, who has also insisted the forward is not going anywhere this month.
“Kyogo is our player and he has been playing more games recently than he had been earlier in the season,” Davies said. “The plan is for him to keep building, start scoring and get his rhythm. I will support him to do that.”
Birmingham invested heavily in attacking options over the summer, with Kyogo arriving alongside players such as Marvin Ducksch, Patrick Roberts, Lewis Koumas, Kanya Fujimoto and Demarai Gray. Davies’ overhaul helped drive a record breaking League One campaign last season, but this term has been more challenging.
The Blues currently sit seven points outside the play off places, and Kyogo’s struggles in front of goal have not helped their push for promotion. Despite that, the Birmingham manager remains keen to keep faith in the Japanese international, believing his quality will eventually shine through.
O’Neill’s comments are likely to be welcomed by Birmingham, who will hope Kyogo can soon find form and play a bigger role as they look to close the gap on the top six in the months ahead.