CONFIRMATION of Ange Postecoglou’s departure from Celtic to become Tottenham manager is expected imminently.
And Hoops fans might have some concerns over who the treble-winning boss might want to take with him to the Premier League.
PAPostecoglou is on the brink of being confirmed Spurs manager[/caption]
Kyogo has been a revelation for Celtic under PostecoglouAlamy
As revealed by SunSport, Celtic are set to bank £5million from the North London giants for the popular manager.
The 57-year old emerged as the leading candidate for the role last week and the announcement if his appointment is expected today.
Postecoglou is keen to take three members of Celtic’s backroom staff with him, including assistant boss John Kennedy.
Those plans have left Hoops chiefs unhappy and they’re ready to fight to keep Kennedy, who has a 25-year association with the Hoops, at the club.
That’s the backroom team – but what about players?
SunSport revealed over the weekend that Kyogo Furuhashi is a likely target for Spurs.
The 28-year old has become the Hoops’ talisman after moving to Scottish football from Japan almost two years ago, and bagged 34 goals in all competitions last season.
Spurs will be looking to bolster their forward options this summer, a task that could become an even bigger priority as star man Harry Kane continues to be heavily linked with Real Madrid.
One man who could see Kyogo joining Postecoglou in London is Rangers legend Brian Laudrup.
He reckons that a reunion at Spurs is possible – and has pointed to what he sees as the “unusual” level of faith Postecoglou has shown towards Kyogo as a reason why the manager may try and link-up with the player once again.
He wrote in the Daily Mail: “His admiration for Kyogo Furuhashi — as both a player and a person — is clearly immense.
“Postecoglou has said that, when he was working in Japan, he already knew that he wanted to make the striker his first signing if he ever got a job in Europe. No matter which club or country it was, Furuhashi was coming with him.
“That level of faith is unusual. And it feels particularly relevant when you consider the wider situation at Tottenham.
“We don’t know what is going to happen with Harry Kane this summer, although Spurs insist he’s not for sale. He’s been linked with Real Madrid after Karim Benzema’s decision to leave for Saudi Arabia. Manchester United, too, have a long-standing interest.
“Spurs are going to need a new forward. If not to replace Kane immediately, then at least to give another credible option in that department.
“I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Furuhashi ended up joining Postecoglou in London at some point. And I could see him being a success, too.
“With his movement, his intelligence, his finishing and his work-rate, I think he could handle the step up in quality. He would be a handful even for the more switched-on defenders of the Premier League and, crucially, would understand what his manager wanted from him.
“That’s only part of the equation, of course. Would Celtic let their most prolific goalscorer follow their manager out of the door in the same summer? It would have to be a really significant financial offer for a player who still has two years left on his contract.
“In my view, though, Furuhashi has the ability to make an impact at Spurs. And they have the money to try and make a deal happen if it’s what Postecoglou wants.”
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