Celtic and the word 'surprise' are rather synonymous with each other at the moment.
You only need to crawl back through the Hoops’ pursuit of a new manager to understand just how many twists and turns occur at Parkhead.
What’s the word?
The Bhoys have been incredibly active in the transfer window over the last week, attempting to finalise a number of deals. They’ve already welcomed Liel Abada to the club, while they are working on finalising a deal for Swedish defender Carl Starfelt and Rennes full-back Brandon Soppy.
However, when we awoke from our slumber on Friday morning, Celtic were suddenly on the verge of completing another move.
Ange Postecoglou has headed back to Japan and agreed to land Kyogo Furuhashi, who plays his football for Vissel Kobe.
A statement on the J-League club’s website, along with one from Celtic, revealed that an agreement has been reached for his transfer between the two clubs and he will now undergo a medical.
The move will now go through providing it passes international clearance and the medical assessment is successful.
Best signing yet
Although Furuhashi is not a household name, this is a move that has the potential to really lift Celtic supporters out of their seats.
Postecoglou has been incredibly busy behind the scenes but this could be his best move yet since arriving in Glasgow.
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That’s because Furuhashi isn’t only a proven international player, he’s also a ruthless goal scorer who’s even caught the eye of Spanish great Andres Iniesta.
The pair are teammates at club level and, speaking recently, the former World Cup winner said: “To be honest, he absolutely has the talent to play in Europe. He's leading the J1's scoring chart, but it's not just that. He's got strong technique, and I believe he can succeed in Europe.
"I'm sure he's got scouts watching him already, but it's going to be tough for us because he scores a lot of goals. It'll be tough but if he goes to Europe I'll be incredibly happy for him, because for Japanese players it's a dream to play in Europe."
With the threat of Odsonne Edouard potentially leaving still lingering over the club, signing another forward is of utmost importance to Celtic.
Fortunately, Furuhashi fits the bill. He has scored 15 times this season, which has taken his tally in Vissel Kobe colours to 48 strikes.
He’s not the most physical of forwards, winning just 0.4 aerial duels per match, but like Edouard, he’s capable of beating a man. This season, the 26-year-old has completed 0.9 dribbles per match.
Speaking about the move and Furuhashi’s game, reporter Dan Orlowitz commented: “That is a BIG move for Furuhashi, an astute signing by Ange, a signing that should absolutely excite the Celtic fanbase. One of the J.League's best domestic talents, exciting on the ball, great finisher, has surely learned a lot from Andres Iniesta these last few years.”
Albian Ajeti has scored in pre-season but his first campaign at Parkhead was disappointing, scoring just six times in 2020/21.
Therefore, Postecoglou will hope to have better luck than his predecessor Neil Lennon in terms of centre-forward recruits. On the evidence provided by Furuhashi in his homeland, this could be the new manager's most enthralling deal yet.