Ange Postecoglou knew Kyogo would fit the Celtic bill after watching him just ONCE as he insists there is more to come

Ange Postecoglou took one look at unbelievable Kyogo Furuhashi and knew instantly he’d want him if he got a job in Europe.

When the boss landed inside Celtic Park, it just made that plan ever clearer. Kyogo’s magical second season in Glasgow has seen him honoured with the PFA Scotland Player of the Year Award. The striker’s electric play and goalscoring prowess made him a perfect candidate for the trophy. Scarred defenders as well as fellow attackers would have been amongst those opponents who handed him their vote after being terrorised by Kyogo.

Postecoglou got similar feedback from his own Yokohama Marinos backline the moment he faced the hitman for the first time. Recounting that opening sighting almost five years ago, he said: “Yeah, he was an opponent. We were playing in his country. I was coaching at Yokohama and he had just been signed from a Second Division club Gifu by Vissel Kobe. It was his first year in. He scored in his first game against us and we were on a decent run at the time. I remember our defenders saying he was just unbelievable, they couldn’t track his movement.

“I have followed him ever since, every game he played whether we were playing against him or not. I could see he was just growing as a footballer all the time. It is easy for me to say now but he was the first person that I wanted to sign.

“To be fair, wherever I got a job here in Europe, he would have been the first player I signed irrespective of the level I was managing at because I knew the qualities he has as a footballer are hard to find.

“He scores goals, which is kind of obvious. But his workrate, his intelligence on the field, the kind of person he is, I had no doubt he would be a hit wherever I took him. But when I landed at