Iconic Rangers fixture a Celtic selling point as Brendan Rodgers makes one thing about Kyogo clear

Iconic Rangers fixture a Celtic selling point as Brendan Rodgers makes one thing about Kyogo clear

The bitter rivals collide at Celtic Park on Saturday with both sides scrapping to be top of the Premiership pile.

Celtic’s Kyogo Furuhashi with manager Brendan Rodgers (Image: SNS Group)

Brendan Rodgers insists his Celtic side won’t get distracted in Dundee despite fans being struck by Old Firm fever.

The bitter rivals collide at Celtic Park on Saturday with both sides scrapping to be top of the Premiership pile going into the winter break. Rodgers knows the derby clash is one of the big selling points when it comes to players coming to Glasgow. But he is adamant none of his stars will take their eye off Dens Park as they look to build on the weekend win against Livingston. Rodgers said: “It (the derby) is a big part of coming to Celtic, being able to be involved in such an iconic game. But there is no time to think. You always just have to think about the next game.

“As boring as that might sound, you just have to focus on the next performance. We’ll look to maintain a performance level and take that into the Dundee game. Once it’s done, we can get ready for next weekend. It’s so far away. The weekend, these are always great games, but for us as managers, coaches, players, the focus is purely on Dundee. We’ll recover, train and travel – going up there looking to get three points.”

Celtic Jw

Rodgers said: “I’ve always enjoyed going to Dundee. The team has always played well and worked well there. The pitch is nice and big, which suits how we want to play, so we’ll go there looking to win. I know the game was postponed at the weekend but I think they trained on it, didn’t they? Listen, Tony has done a very good job there. He’s been a coach around the game for a long time and it’s great to see him get that opportunity to manage. He’s done an excellent job.

“Whatever the pitch looks like, we’ll prepare for a tough game. We saw that when we played them earlier in the season. Even though we won convincingly (3-0) in the end, it was a tough game, so we’ve prepared for the same.”

Matt O’Riley happy at Celtic as champions want to strengthen NOT sell with Inter Milan to be left wanting

The midfielder is in demand but big names will not be listened to if they come calling.

Celtic’s Matt O’Riley during a cinch Premiership match between Celtic and Livingston (Image: SNS Group)

Inter Milan will be given short shrift if they firm up their interest in Celtic star Matt O’Riley.

It was revealed at the end of last week that the Serie A leaders had the Hoops midfielder high on their January radar. The Italian giant is considering making a move that would be a loan for the season with an eight figure obligation to buy in the summer. Celtic aren’t actively looking to sell and recently signed up the Danish international on a new long-term contract.

Record Sport also understand that although O’Riley is aware of the interest he is currently settled and happy to remain at Celtic Park. The Celtic board are also more interested in strengthening their squad than selling their prize assets. The Hoops are currently in a title fight with Rangers and they are looking to keep Brendan Rodgers’ side clear at the top of the Premiership.

Rodgers admitted last week that he has “no fears” when it came to interest in O’Riley. Celtic signed O’Riley for a bargain £1.5 million from MK Dons last season.

He has really kicked on again this season under Rodgers and has added a cutting edge with nine goals and eight assists this season. Now if they were to sell the 23-year-old they would be looking to command a big-money fee, likely to be in the same £20 plus million mark they sold Jota for last summer to Saudi club Al-Ittihad.

The Celtic recruitment team are actively working on January targets, Estoril wideman Tiago Araujo remains an active target. The Portuguese side, though, are due a 50 per cent sell- on of any fee to former club Benfica. They are currently weighing up whether or not to sell in this window.

Wolves striker Fabia Silva has also been offered on-loan to both Celtic and Rangers. The 23-year-old has had recent loan spells at Anderlecht and PSV Eindhoven.

Meanwhile, Celtic midfielder Yosuke Ideguchi looks set to end his frustrating Celtic spell when the transfer window reopens. The Japanese midfielder is currently on loan at Avispa Fukuoka but is expected to join Vissel Kobe in a £850,000 deal . Celtic signed him from Gamba Osaka last year but injury saw his time in Scotland curtailed.

 

Leighton Clarkson says it is vital Aberdeen keep Celtic target Bojan Miovski beyond the January transfer window

The Hoops are reportedly lining up a bid for Aberdeen goal hero Miovski in January but Clarkson hopes the striker will stay at Pittodrie.

Bojan Miovski celebrates making it 1-0 Aberdeen during a Viaplay Cup semi-final against Hibs. Image: SNS

Midfielder Leighton Clarkson believes it is vital Aberdeen retain Celtic target Bojan Miovski beyond the January transfer window.

Celtic are reportedly weighing up a January bid for the 24-year-old and Parkhead boss Brendan Rodgers has had Miovski watched regularly this season.

Miovski has scored 14 times in all competitions this season and the Dons are braced for interest in the striker during the winter window.

North Macedonian international Miovski is contracted to the Dons until summer 2026.

Aberdeen boss Barry Robson recently confirmed the Dons aim to open talks with Miovski in an attempt to tie the star striker to an even longer deal.

Miovski is set to lead the line against Motherwell at Pittodrie on Wednesday.

Aberdeen’s star man Bojan Miovski celebrates after scoring in the 2-1 defeat of Livingston. Image: Shutterstock.

Clarkson, 22, said: “It is very important we keep him.

“Bojan has pulled us out of a lot of games this year and he is a top quality striker.

“I would love him to stay and I know the rest of the team and the fans do as well.

“He is a top striker.”

‘Good connection’ with Miovski

Miovski has been a scoring sensation since Aberdeen signed him from Hungarian club MTK Budapest for £535,000 in June 2022.

The January transfer window opens on Monday, January 1 and clubs across Europe have already shown interest in Miovski.

Italian outfits Lazio and Bologna previously placed the striker on their radar.

French club Stade de Reims were also tracking Miovski as were England Championship side Southampton.

Miovski netted 18 goals in all competitions last season and has maintained that form with 14 this term.

Former Liverpool midfielder Clarkson believes he has forged a strong understanding with Miovski and is keen for that to continue.

Clarkson reckons the best is yet to come from the prolific striker and hopes to see that further improvement come at Pittodrie.

Aberdeen’s Leighton Clarkson checks out the pitch after the game was postponed at Dundee. Image: SNS

He said: “In terms of the numbers Bojan has 14 goals so far, which is very good and we have not been playing at our best as well.

“He scores lots of goals and I have a good connection on the pitch in terms of his movement.

“I think his movement is excellent.

“So he has done really well and we just want him to keep improving.”

Aberdeen’s Bojan Miovski scores to make it 1-1 against Livingston. Image: SNS.

Frustration at late Dundee call-off

Aberdeen will return to action on Wednesday after the frustration of the late postponement of their Premiership clash at Dundee.

Referee David Munro called off the game 52 minutes before the 3pm scheduled kick-off time on Saturday.

The ref pulled the plug on the match due to player safety concerns as surface water had accumulated in the away end penalty box.

Aberdeen wanted the game to go ahead and Dundee were adamant the pitch was playable.

The majority of the 3,500 strong travelling Aberdeen support were already in Dundee when confirmation of the postponement was made.

Clarkson is “gutted” the opportunity to build momentum in the Premiership was snatched away from the Reds.

Aberdeen travelled to Dundee in search of a third straight league victory and a “statement” win to reward the Red Army for their continued backing.

Now Clarkson is focused on overcoming Motherwell.

Referee David Munro conducts a pitch inspection before calling off Aberdeen’s game with Dundee at Dens Park. Image: SNS

He said: “The fans spend good money to follow us and there was 3,000 of them again.

“We wanted to come down to Dundee and win, to put a bit of a statement out there and give back to the fans.

“But it was not meant to be.

“We had looked at the pitch and we thought we could have played on it but the officials called it off.

“You could see from the outside around it that it was waterlogged.

“On the pitch it was potentially playable but we never went in the boxes and I think that’s where the issue was.

“The bounce of the ball in the two boxes, it was just dropping dead.

“We are gutted but we have to move on.”

Dundee groundsmen clear the water on the pitch before the Dundee v Aberdeen game is called off. Image: SNS

‘Both teams wanted to play the game’

Aberdeen are in the midst of a gruelling schedule that will pack in 12 games across 36 days by the time the Premiership goes into a winter shutdown on January 2.

In a hectic run of games the Dons have recently had to balance the Premiership, a Viaplay Cup final and Europa Conference League group action.

However Clarkson was disappointed with the unexpected break from the schedule.

Referee David Munro inspects the pitch. Image: Shutterstock

He said: “I would rather have played it, to be honest.

“We have had a few decent results although obviously we lost the cup final.

“But we felt that after Livingston (2-1 win) we could go on a bit of a run so it is just disappointing that we couldn’t play.

“Both teams wanted to play the game but it is down to the officials and there is nothing we can do about that.

“We wanted to go down to Dundee and win to build a bit of momentum.”

Focus on rising up Premiership table

Aberdeen are languishing eighth in the Premiership table with a return of 19 points from 16 fixtures.

Clarkson reckons a run of “three or four wins” will propel the Dons up into the fight to finish third.

And he is determined to the Premiership resurrection will continue against Motherwell.

Referee David Munro before a pitch inspection before a cinch Premiership match between Dundee and Aberdeen. Image: SNS

He said: “It is not where we want to be but in this league.

“However if you get three, four wins on the bounce it can shoot you right up there.

“We have a home game against Motherwell and it is one we are looking to get all three points from.”

Great celebration time “But bad news” Celtic’s best player is seriously injured in…

What a great Win “But bad News” Celtic Top player is seriously injured during…

Glasgow Derby Injury Concern for Celtic

Celtic emerged victorious with a 2-0 win over Livingston, a welcome relief following back-to-back defeats.

However, the triumph came with a tinge of concern as right-back Alistair Johnston appeared to suffer an injury towards the end of the match.

He looked to have pulled up injured, making him a concern for the Glasgow Derby next week.

The game saw Kyogo breaking his goal drought. Kyogo found the net, marking an end to his recent period without goals. This strike set the tone for Celtic’s dominance in the match.

Liam Scales doubled Celtic’s lead by heading in a corner from Palma.

Impressively, Palma also played a crucial role in setting up Kyogo’s goal, showcasing his ability to orchestrate key plays.

The Green Brigade returned to the stands for the win. The group made their presence felt for the first time in 13 games after being absent due to a ban.

Hopefully Brendan Rodgers can provide a positive update on the right back.

There’s a lot of frustration”-journalist react to “strange” involving Celtic star

Kyogo Furuhashi now in ‘strange situation’ at Celtic

Celtic forward Kyogo Furuhashi looks to have been asked to play a different role under Brendan Rodgers at Parkhead.

HIGHLIGHTS

 Celtic forward Kyogo Furuhashi’s goalscoring form under Brendan Rodgers has been “a bit strange” at Parkhead.

 The Japan international has been asked to play a different role, drifting wide and dropping back, affecting his goalscoring form for the Hoops.

 Celtic could look to trim their squad during the 2024 winter transfer window, with Nat Phillips and Alexandro Bernabei preparing for exits.

Celtic star Kyogo Furuhashi’s lack of goalscoring form under Brendan Rodgers has is “a bit strange” and has caused “a lot of frustration”, as journalist Dean Jones considers his performances as a whole at Parkhead.

The Hoops have enjoyed a positive start to the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership season, but a recent wobble in results will have created a sense of unease around Celtic Park.

Furuhashi has been operating across the front three for Rodgers’ outfit but hasn’t been utilised as the out-and-out striker he has been used to over the past two seasons. Celtic hope to recover from their early European exit and storm to a Premiership and Scottish Cup double.

Kyogo Furuhashi’s career at Celtic

In the summer of 2021, Celtic signed Furuhashi in a deal worth £4.6m from Vissel Kobe, as then-head coach Ange Postecoglou looked to develop a side capable of challenging for the Scottish Premiership title.

The Hoops had been beaten to the post by Rangers at a canter during the 2020/21 campaign and needed a rebuild to topple their Glasgow neighbours.

The Japan international would score 12 Premiership goals in 20 appearances during his first season at Celtic, helping them win the league title alongside a Viaplay Cup triumph.

Having had issues with his fitness during his debut campaign at Parkhead, Furuhashi would find full fitness in his second, hitting the back of the net 27 times in 36 top-flight outings.

The 28-year-old’s goal contribution led to Postecoglou’s side securing a domestic treble during the 2022/23 campaign before the respected head coach departed south of the border to take the vacant job at Tottenham Hotspur.

During the 2023/24 campaign, Furuhashi has struggled to reach the same levels in front of goal. Before Celtic’s trip to Livingston on 23rd December, the centre-forward had scored eight goals and registered three assists in 25 outings for the Bhoys.

However, Furuhashi has been asked to drift into wide areas and drop back to retrieve the ball under Rodgers, operating differently from how he played under Postecoglou.

In November, Jones told GIVEMESPORT that Celtic would not be concerned by exit rumours surrounding Furuhashi after it emerged that Tottenham had sent their top scout to check on players at Postecoglou’s former club.

Kyogo Furuhashi – Celtic stats (23-12-23)

Appearances

109

Goals

62

Assists

13

Yellow cards

8

Stats according to Transfermarkt

Dean Jones on Kyogo Furuhashi

Jones has suggested that Furuhashi can play a different role under Rodgers but that his goalscoring form will suffer. The journalist claims “a lot of frustration” surrounds the change. Asked about Furuhashi’s form, Jones told GIVEMESPORT:

“It is a bit strange. There’s a lot of frustration around this because you’d wonder why it hasn’t happened for him so far. But I feel like he’s being asked to play differently now. While he does seem capable in football in terms of being decent in the wide areas that he appears to be being forced into a bit more, it’s starting to reflect badly on his stats. That’s the first thing people will point out when looking for somebody to blame.

“I think he is a clever player and can play in the way he’s being asked, even though it might not be natural to him. But when you’re used to scoring or seeing someone score goals, it’s tough to accept a role change in which they’re not doing that as often.”

Celtic transfer news on Nat Phillps and Alexandro Bernabei’s future

 

With the 2024 winter transfer window approaching, Rodgers must consider the future of some of his squad members, who may feel they aren’t getting the opportunities required to stick around at Parkhead.

According to Football Scotland, centre-back Nat Phillips will return to Liverpool following his loan at Celtic next month.

The 26-year-old joined the Glasgow giants on a short-term deal at the end of August but has looked out of sorts, having built up his match fitness.

Phillips, now a fringe player at Celtic Park, won’t see his loan extended further, and another move away from Anfield could be on the cards in January.

Meanwhile, The Sun reports that Alexandro Bernabei is poised to make a winter exit from Celtic in 2024.

The 24-year-old has failed to establish himself under Rodgers and has attracted interest from Italian clubs and outfits from his homeland in Argentina.

The Hoops are keen on signing Estoril’s Tiago Araujo, valued at £4m, to offer competition to Greg Taylor, with Bernabei likely to be the victim in his arrival.

Meanwhile, Football Scotland claims that Celtic have enquired with Austrian outfit Sturm Graz about the possibility of signing former target Szymon Wlodarczyk. However, his value has sky-rocketed to £15m, making a deal financially unviable for the one-time European Cup winners.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Harry Whittingham(1846 Articles Published)

Harry is a football writer with multiple years of experience in the field, having worked as an intern at Port Vale Football Club whilst graduating with a BA Hons degree in Sports Journalism from Staffordshire University in 2021, before coming through the ranks at the O&O Academy at Snack Media.

Having worked as a freelance writer on This is Futbol from July-November 2022, he now works as a freelance writer for the Exclusives team at GIVEMESPORT, mainly covering Premier League football as well as Celtic and Rangers.

Harry has interviewed a range of footballer’s during his career, including ex-Premier League and Republic of Ireland winger Stephen Hunt and Port Vale legend Tom Pope.

Football dominates Harry’s life and when he’s not writing about the sport, he is often found following his beloved Wolverhampton Wanderers home and away, whilst also being an ardent follower of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

CELTIC’S £1m MYSTERY MAN

MYSTIFIED Celtic fans are still awaiting their first glimpse of South Korean midfielder Kwon Hyeon-kyu in competitive action.

Lazio 2-0 Celtic: Brendan Rodgers press…

The anchorman arrived in a £1million move – an initial £850,000 plus add-ons – from K-League outfit Busan IPark in July along with winger Yang Hyun-jun.

Under-21 international Kwon, with the reputation of a determined ball-winner in the middle of the park, played for 45 minutes in James Forrest’s Testimonial Match against Athletic Bilbao at Parkhead at the start of August on an evening Brendan Rodgers utilised 22 players of his first-team squad.

NOW YOU SEE ME…new Bhoy Kwon Hyeon-kyu proudly holds his Celtic jersey on July 25, the day after his arrival.

The 22-year-old enforcer also came on for Matt O’Riley in the 61st minute of the 1-1 draw with Wolves at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium a few days earlier.

Apart from that, there has been no sign of the Hoops’ mystery man although he was named in last weekend’s matchday squad for the home match against Hearts. That was only the fourth time time he has been stripped for action, but has yet to play a solitary minute for the Hoops.

Rodgers also ommitted Kwon from his 25-man squad that was registered with UEFA before the Champions League Group B meetings with Atletico Madrid, Lazio and Feyenoord.

It has become a bewildering situation without any likelihood of the midfielder, who signed a five-year contract in summer, edging closer to a first-team breakthrough.

Possibly next month’s transfer window will provide a solution.