Kyogo Furuhashi Transfers To Rennes In GBP 10 Million Deal As Jota Returns To Celtic

Add as a preferred source on Google

Kyogo Furuhashi has transferred to Rennes from Celtic for a reported fee of £10 million. Meanwhile, Jota is heading back to the Scottish champions. Kyogo joined Celtic in July 2021 alongside Jota and has now signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Rennes, who are currently third from bottom in Ligue 1.

During his time at Celtic, Kyogo made a significant impact by scoring 85 goals in 165 matches across all competitions. He emerged as the top scorer in the Scottish Premiership for the 2022-23 season, playing a crucial role in securing the title for his team. This season, he remains vital to Celtic's title ambitions, ranking joint-second in league goals with ten.

Celtic have secured Jota's return on a five-and-a-half-year deal from Rennes. Jota initially left Celtic in July 2023 to join Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League but faced challenges securing a starting position there and later at Rennes. At Rennes, he managed only nine appearances since joining in August.

Jota first joined Celtic on loan from Benfica in September 2021 under Ange Postecoglou. He impressed by scoring 13 goals and providing 12 assists before making his move permanent the following year. His contributions helped Celtic achieve a domestic treble before his departure to Saudi Arabia.

This season, Kyogo boasts the highest expected goals (xG) rate of 13.64 in the league. He also leads in 'big' chances with 26, converting nine of them into goals. Only two players have attempted more shots than his total of 63 attempts.

Kyogo's tenure at Celtic saw him win eight trophies, including three consecutive league titles, two Scottish League Cups, and three Scottish Cups. Brendan Rodgers disclosed that Kyogo expressed his wish to leave Glasgow months ago.

Jota's Perspective on Returning

Reflecting on his recent experiences, Jota shared with Celtic's website: "The last year-and-a-half has had its ups and downs, but that's life and that's how football is." He expressed eagerness to reunite with his teammates and work hard again.

Jota also mentioned positive discussions with Brendan Rodgers: "We [Jota and Rodgers] had really good discussions, and we were very honest, and, in the end, we believed in each other." He looks forward to working with someone who brings joy to the Celtic family.

The moves mark significant changes for both players as they continue their careers at new clubs while maintaining connections with their former teams. These transitions highlight the dynamic nature of football careers and player movements within European leagues.