Celtic will hold signing talks with Dylan Reid on Monday.
The Hoops have already agreed a £125,000 fee for the St Mirren youngster. The Buddies turned down a rival offer from Rangers last week. The Scotland under-17 cap has now been given permission to speak to Celtic. Ange Postecoglou confirmed Celtic’s interest at the weekend but admitted he was very much an option for their B team.
Reid will meet with B team coaches Stephen McManus and Darren O’Dea before he makes a decision on his future. Postecoglou is also likely to be involved, via Zoom, from the Hoops’ base in Austria. The teenager has already attracted interest from Benfica in the past and it remains to be seen if this Celtic offer sparks rival bids. He is highly thought of at St Mirren and made his first-team debut when he was just 16. Postecoglou’s first-team recruitment staff are also actively working on deals. The Australian has already said he wants at least two new additions.
Meanwhile, Kyogo Furuhashi knows double-winning Celtic can hit even loftier heights and wants to play his part by claiming the Premiership’s scoring crown with a 20 goal haul. The Japanese forward was arguably the star of the first half of the season for the Hoops until a hamstring injury saw him miss a large chunk of the season.
Furuhashi returned for the finale and still pitched in with 20 goals but he finished one behind Giorgos Giakoumakis and Regan Charles-Cook in the Premiership goals chart. Celtic will now look to tighten their grip on the domestic scene and make their mark on the Champions League.
The striker claimed: “We have good teammates and supporters and I think that is why we can do better than last season. “Personally, I would like to get good numbers. I want a minimum of 20 goals.
“Last season Giakoumakis got his (top league scorer) title but I had opportunities. It would be nice to get that result. We have good players, we are working hard and pushing and stimulating each other on the pitch.”
Furuhashi got off the mark in pre-season as he scored and produced a fine assist for David Turnbull in Saturday's 3-3 draw with Rapid Vienna. It was his first game back, along with many of Celtic’s international players. He admitted: “David did well to win the ball and gave me a nice pass that I was able to finish, which I am happy with but the team has to win every game.”
The 27-year-old admitted Celtic’s pre-season camp, which sees them switch from Austria to Czech Republic this week, has been hard. Furuhashi, though, was still seen putting extra laps in after the session had finished to top himself up.
“There is still a lot to improve and that is why we are training hard in pre-season,” the former Vissel Kobe player insisted. “I also want to get to a good fitness level to contribute to the team.
“The coaches prepare us well and with a good programme for the training sessions, which we are happy with. “I still have personal tasks to overcome and that is why I am doing extra.”
Furuhashi has become a firm favourite with the Celtic support and loves his new-found status. He confirmed: “A lot of people started to recognise me in the street and in restaurants. I am very happy with that. I can do a lot of things. Yes, I can play football and that is how you can give something back to the fans.”
Fellow countryman Reo Hatate admitted he went to Ayr beach over the summer but Furuhashi wants to go further north to the Glenfinnan Viaduct to see the Harry Potter Bridge. The frontman admitted: “I hope to visit Harry Potter’s bridge. I haven’t been there and I would like to go there.”
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