Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has sought to explain why Kyogo Furuhashi wanted to leave the club.
The Japanese striker is on the verge of sealing a £10m move to French Ligue 1 side Rennes.
He touched down in Brittany on Thursday, with Rodgers confirming yesterday morning that a deal should be completed in the next 24 hours.
Speaking to the media at Lennoxtown on Friday, the Parkhead boss also revealed that Furuhashi expressed a desire to leave Celtic a few months ago.
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He then looked to put a finger on why that was the case: "Their careers are short," said Rodgers.
"He's 30 years of age now. And they want these new challenges. He's achieved so much here at Celtic.
"But that opportunity at this time in his career to go into what would be one of the top five leagues was something that was maybe too good for him to turn down. But I think it was more just something new for him. A new challenge.
"He's obviously loved the club. He's loved everything about being here. But players' careers are short. As much as we want to convince them to stay and be here, the minute they want to move and the representatives say they want to move, then we have to do the best for the club."
Having contributed to 104 goals in 165 Celtic appearances and winning eight major honours throughout his three-and-a-half-year spell in Glasgow's east end, the 30-year-old will be fondly remembered as a modern-day great.
He is now all but a Rennes player, with Portuguese winger Jota set to go the other and complete an emotional return to Celtic in one of the most sensational January transfer sagas.
