Kyogo Furuhashi was given a send off to remember ahead of his transfer to Celtic.
The Japanese wide man will make the move to Celtic Park in a £4.5million deal as Ange Postecoglou bolsters his squad ahead of the Scottish Premiership season.
And the 26-year-old was given a fond farewell as Vissel Kobe fans packed the Noevir Stadium this morning to show their appreciation.
Fans not able to attend in person and see off the J-League’s top scorer were able to watch the ‘send-off ceremony’ on the club’s YouTube channel.
Vissel opened up the 10,000 capacity South Stand of the ground to allow supporters to say their goodbyes after Furuhashi played his final game for the club away from home.
He opened the scoring in their 1-1 draw against Cerezo Osaka. It looked like being the winner until the hosts snatched an equaliser in the 90th minute.
Celtic lost 1-0 at home to Preston North End in a friendly a few hours later, and while Postecolgou can’t wait to get his new man in, Covid protocols and restrictions make it a frustratingly drawn out process.
He said: “It’s not just about signing players, it’s how we can get them in.
“It’s a ten-day to two-week process so that’s the challenging part at the moment, we’re not able to get people in quick enough.
“It’s just the world we live in. If we could get on a plane, go over there and do the signing, we’d all be taking photos and we’d be unveiling him here today.
“Unfortunately nothing like that happens any more.
“We are working on multiple fronts."
Do you want an exclusive pre-season Celtic preview - both in your inbox and through your letterbox? Head over here to find out more and secure your copy.
