A £20 million transfer rumour that makes sense for Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham’s pursuit of Celtic’s Kyogo Furuhashi makes the most sense of the countless transfer rumors circulating the club. 

The obvious reason is Furuhashi’s connection to Ange Postecoglou.

Tottenham’s gaffer was instrumental in signing Furuhashi, who arrived from Japanese club Vissel Kobe in the summer of 2021.

Furuhashi was Celtic’s only J1 League signing that summer, and the 28-year-old has flourished since arriving in Scotland. He scored 34 goals in all competitions during the 2022-23 campaign, including 27 league goals.

He won the Golden Boot, finishing two goals ahead of Motherwell’s Kevin van Veen. Since arriving at Celtic, Furuhashi has 54 goals in 83 appearances.

Celtic, who purchased the Japanese striker for a measly £4.6 million, is expected to ask for between £20 and £25 million.

However, with two years left on Furuhashi’s contract, they are under no obligation to sell their most dangerous attacking threat.

Celtic is set to make a tidy profit if they agree to sell him, while Tottenham will be thrilled to land a player of Furuhashi’s quality for just £20 million.

The risk of buying Furuhashi is minimal, another reason Tottenham is seriously contemplating the transfer.

Even if his prospective experiment in England turned out to be an abject failure, losing £20 million isn’t the end of the world, especially considering losses of previously failed transfers, like £42 million Tanguy Ndombele.

In addition, Spurs are and have been for about a decade, searching for a sound Harry Kane understudy. Furuhashi hasn’t yet had the opportunity to play in one of Europe’s top five leagues, providing added motivation.

He’ll be 29 years old in January, making a move to a superior league in a timely manner all the more important.

Celtic is the highest-profile team he’s played for, so the allure of playing in the Premier League with Tottenham will appeal to him more than most. If Kane stays, Furuhashi will enjoy the benefits of learning from one of the world’s best.

If Kane leaves, Furuhashi will be sprung into the spotlight, providing a golden opportunity to prove he has what it takes to be a first-choice striker in the top flight.

Clubs from Europe’s other top four leagues, including Lazio, are also interested. But, due to Postecoglou’s influence, Spurs are seen to be the frontrunners.

Currently, no Champions League participants are desirous of signing him, which is another advantage for Spurs.

Tottenham doesn’t have to concern themselves too much with Furuhashi’s resell value. If he succeeds, Spurs will want to keep him. And if he fails, it will probably amount to a £20 million sunk cost.

In the grand scheme of things, Furuhashi is a risk worth taking. He scored 34 goals and added five assists in 50 2022-23 appearances, but people will automatically point to the inferior level of the Scottish league, undercutting his impressive return.

And that’s totally understandable.

Last summer, Tottenham paid about £60 million for Richarlison, who scored one league goal in 27 appearances. While the Brazilian can still turn his Tottenham career around, the bar has been set incredibly low for Furuhashi.

Finally, Postecoglou believes strongly in his ability, like he did when he hand-picked him from Vissel Kobe.

The Scottish Premier League was a step up from the J1 League, but he took on the challenge in stride and with aplomb.

While the Premier League constitutes an even more precipitous upgrade, the upside of securing Furuhashi’s signature, in this scenario, far outweighs the potential drawbacks.