Brendan Rodgers returned to Celtic to replace Ange Postecoglou in the dugout at Parkhead last year to start his second spell with the Scottish giants.
The Northern Irish manager had spent almost three years at the club between 2016 and 2019 and secured six domestic trophies, with back-to-back domestic trebles.
Upon his return, Rodgers encountered some early difficulties, losing in his first League Cup match and finishing bottom of the team’s Champions League group.
However, a strong second half of the season resulted in the Hoops winning the Scottish Premiership title and the SFA Cup, to ensure that Celtic added more trophies to the cabinet.
After those two pieces of silverware were collected at the end of last term, the board decided to back Rodgers in the summer transfer window in an attempt to take the side to the next level.
The Scottish giants swooped to sign Kasper Schmeichel, Viljami Sinisalo, Arne Engels, Luke McCowan, Paulo Bernardo, Adam Idah, Alex Valle, and Auston Trusty to bolster the squad in a number of positions.
Their swoop to sign central midfielder Engels from Augsburg was a particularly interesting move, given the reported fee that was paid for the young talent.
How much Celtic paid for Arne Engels
It was reported that the Hoops splashed out a staggering fee of £11m to sign the Belgium international from the Bundesliga side, which is a club record for Celtic.
When asked if the price tag would potentially weigh him down in Glasgow, Engels said that he just wants to “enjoy” his football and did not pay too much attention to the money that was spent to bring him to Parkhead.
The 21-year-old starlet arrived in Scotland off the back of a return of three goals and two assists in 32 appearances and 14 starts in the Bundesliga during the 2023/24 campaign.
Engels came in as a young player with no prior experience of Scottish football and has still managed to hit the ground running with his performances for Celtic.
He has already racked up two goals and three assists in seven appearances in all competitions for the Hoops, all of which have come in his last six games.
The Belgian youngster still has a long way to go to justify the club spending a record fee on him but he has made a terrific start to life in Scotland, and Rodgers will be hoping that long may it continue so that his value can soar beyond £11m in the future.
Celtic do, however, already have one player who has already surpassed a valuation of £11m. The Hoops have hit gold with Kyogo Furuhashi, whose value has skyrocketed during his time at Parkhead.
How much Celtic paid for Kyogo Furuhashi
In the summer of 2021, Ange Postecoglou swooped to sign the marksman from Vissel Kobe for a reported fee of £4.5m to bolster his attacking options ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.
Kyogo enjoyed a strong start to life in Scotland with a return of 20 goals and five assists in 33 appearances in all competitions in his first season with the club.
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The Japan international followed that up with an outstanding 2022/23 campaign. He racked up a staggering 34 goals and five assists in 50 outings in all competitions for the Scottish giants.
However, his form did suffer after Rodgers’ appointment at Celtic last year, as he struggled to live up to the incredible standards he set of himself in the previous season.
Appearances
36
38
Goals
27
14
Big chances missed
16
24
Conversion rate
31%
14%
Pass accuracy
68%
67%
As you can see in the table above, Kyogo’s finishing took a turn for the worse last season as he struggled to make the most of the chances that were created for him by his teammates in the Premiership.
The 29-year-old forward did still manage to score 14 goals, though, and helped Celtic to win a third Premiership title in three years at the club, which shows that he was still good enough to lead the line for the Hoops – despite not being as prolific as he once was.
In spite of that downturn in form, Kyogo was reportedly wanted by a European giant in the recent summer transfer window and was given a significant valuation.
How much Kyogo Furuhashi is currently worth
It was reported by Football Insider in August that the Hoops would consider offers of £25m or more for the Japanese attacker, which is significantly more than the £4.5m the club paid for him in 2021.
This shows that, internally at least, Kyogo’s value has skyrocketed throughout his time at Parkhead, as he has proven himself to be a big asset to the Scottish giants with his goals and assists.
That particular valuation came off the back of a report from Sky Sports that claimed the Celtic star was on a shortlist of forward options for Premier League champions Manchester City, who were looking at potential replacements for Julian Alvarez – who moved to Atletico Madrid.
However, they did not go through with a pursuit of the Hoops sensation and he has been available to Rodgers throughout the current season so far.
Appearances
7
Goals
3
Big chances missed
9
Big chances created
0
Assists
2
As you can see in the table above, Kyogo has been directly involved in five goals in seven outings in the Premiership this term, although his finishing has still left a bit to be desired.
The amazing forward, who has scored one goal in two Champions League games, offers a consistent threat in the final third, even when missing chances, by constantly generating opportunities for himself.
Overall, Celtic have hit the jackpot with the former Vissel Kobe man. They brought in a player for £4.5m in 2021 and have turned him into a £25m-rated star who has delivered bundles upon bundles of goals and assists over the years.
Celtic have struck gold with Hoops ace who's similar to a £105m star
The Hoops maestro did not cost a penny when he joined the club.
ByDan EmeryOct 15, 2024
