Kyogo Furuhashi is supposedly being considered by Brentford as an Ivan Toney replacement.
The eight-month betting ban that has prevented the England international from playing since May is now nearing its conclusion.
Toney’s future is expected to be a hot topic of discussion during the winter transfer window since his suspension is scheduled to end in the middle of January.
The Brentford striker, whose contract expires in June 2025, has been linked to teams like Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United.
Even though the Bees are hesitant to let go of Toney during the January transfer window, they are still evaluating possible replacements in case the 28-year-old decides to leave in the coming year.
TEAMTalk reports that Furuhashi, a forward for Celtic, is one of three options that Brentford may consider for the January window.
This season, the Japan international has made 23 appearances in competitive play for Brendan Rodgers’ team, tallying three assists and eight goals.
Since moving from Vissel Kobe to Celtic in 2021, Furuhashi has appeared in 106 games and totaled 62 goals and 13 assists.
Furuhashi has been marked as a player of interest by Brentford, but Celtic’s financial demands may prove to be a roadblock.
Given that the forward is only under contract through the summer of 2027, the Scottish champions are probably going to demand a high price.
Apart from Furuhashi, Santiago Castro, a 19-year-old striker for Velez Sarsfield, is another player that Thomas Frank’s team is monitoring.
Because of his youth, Castro is not seen as a straight replacement for Toney, but the Bees think his potential could make him a better buy than Furuhashi.
Andrea Belotti of Roma is attracting interest from Brentford as well; he may be seeking more playing time.
Rome manager Jose Mourinho has limited Belotti to just four Serie A starts this season due to his preference for Romelu Lukaku as his first-choice forward.
There are rumours that Belotti, who has less than two years left on his Roma contract, could be available for as little as £10 million.
