Celtic idol issues ‘massive’ claim after Kyogo Furuhashi reveal
Frank McAvennie has claimed Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou will have a tough decision as to who to start up front next season.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Hoops striker said Kyogo Furuhashi, Daizen Maeda and Giorgos Giakoumakis present Postecoglou with “massive choice”.
As quoted by Football Scotland (11 July), Kyogo, 27, insisted that he still has “personal challenges to overcome” in order to be a success next season.
The Japan international said he wants to score “a minimum of 20 goals next season”.
The striker featured in the starting line-up for Celtic’s pre-season game against Blackburn Rovers while Maeda was on the bench and Giakoumakis was left out of the squad.
When asked who would be the manager’s number one striker next season, McAvennie told Football Insider: “I think it’s going to be a massive choice and that’s what you want.
“It’s the thing that I keep battering on about. You need competition. If it’s you and another guy then you can have that fight for the place.
“[Daizen] Maeda came in as a centre-forward but he’s playing out wide now. It’s three strikers we’ve got and sometimes he’ll play the two of them and sometimes he’ll play just the one. It gives us something different.
“If we need pace over the top there’s Kyogo or Maeda. If we need somebody to fight then it’s Giakoumakis.
“When Kyogo got injured and Giakoumakis came in, my god he took his chance. So it just shows you. Who knows what is going to happen tomorrow but I think he’s a big player for Celtic.
“For me, it’s between him and Kyogo up front. I’d love to see the two of them playing because they can both play together but I don’t think the manager would play a 4-4-2.”
In other news, an expert has suggested Albian Ajeti could be set for Celtic transfer after Sky reveal.