It is remarkable how quickly things have unravelled for Celtic since Kyogo Furuhashi departed last January.
The drop-off has been obvious on the pitch. Goals have been harder to come by and the edge Kyogo gave the attack has never really been replaced. Even for the striker himself, the move has not gone to plan, with his switch to Birmingham City proving a frustrating step backwards.
January brought plenty of intrigue. Kyogo was even mentioned as a possible return, but Celtic chose a different route by bringing in Tomas Cvancara and Junior Adamu on loan deals that include options to buy. Still, there is a feeling in some quarters that the club missed a trick.
Former Scotland striker Ross McCormack believes Adam Armstrong should have been the man Celtic went all out to sign before he completed his move to Wolves.
Celtic urged to move for Adam Armstrong
Armstrong was in the thick of the promotion battle with Southampton in the Championship before Wolves swooped late in the window, paying £9 million to take him to the Premier League strugglers.
Appearing on Open Goal, McCormack argued that Armstrong would have been an ideal fit for Celtic and the demands of the Scottish game. He drew comparisons with Kyogo, pointing to similar traits that could have flourished at Parkhead.
“There is one player, for me, if I were at Celtic, that I would have pushed hard to sign,” McCormack said. “He went to Wolves for £9 million, Adam Armstrong.”
Si Ferry questioned whether Celtic could compete with a Premier League club, but McCormack was unconvinced.
“You think about it,” he replied. “He is not going there for short-term money alone. Players like that will have clauses in their deals. In terms of style, Armstrong is perfect for Scottish football. His sharpness, his movement and his finishing are very similar to Kyogo.”
Do players from England struggle in Scotland?
The debate then shifted to a familiar argument. Scottish clubs simply cannot match the financial power of England, and the step up in pressure can be enormous, especially at clubs like Celtic and Rangers.
Andy Halliday was sceptical, pointing out how often players arrive from down south only to fail to make an impact in Glasgow.
“I am not saying Celtic and Rangers are signing poor players,” Halliday said. “But time and again, players come up from England and it just does not work. More often than not, they struggle to adapt.”
Whether Armstrong would have thrived at Celtic will remain a talking point. What is clear is that the search for a Kyogo-like presence continues, and the decision-making in January will be judged by how quickly Celtic rediscover their cutting edge.