Former Celtic hero links up with 48-cap Germany icon as major move ends talk of Parkhead return

Furuhashi, 31, scored 85 goals in all competitions for Celtic after signing from Vissel Kobe for a fee of £4.5million in 2021, winning four Scottish Premiership titles, three Scottish League Cups, and two Scottish Cups in the process before leaving to sign for Rennes around 18 months ago.

The French side were reported to have paid a fee of around £10million for the forward, but time in Ligue 1 was ill-fated, making just six appearances before departing the club last summer to join Birmingham City. However, his struggles in front of goal continued at St. Andrews, and a report earlier this week claimed Furuhashi was craving a move to Celtic, and that a sensational return could be on the cards.

Sign up to The Scotsman’s daily football newsletter to get unrivalled Scottish football news and analysis - subscribe for free here.

However, any talk of a return to the Scottish champions has now been quashed after the Japanese international completed a move to Dignity Health Sports Park, signing for a reported fee of £1million. He has agreed a five-year deal at the club and will link up with former Borussia Dortmund legend, and 48-cap Germany star, Marco Reus, who made the move to LA Galaxy in August 2024.

“We’re excited to welcome Kyōgo to the LA Galaxy and to Los Angeles,” general manager Will Kuntz told the club’s official website. “He brings a wealth of experience having played matches with Japanese National Team, in the UEFA Champions League, and in some of the best domestic leagues in Europe. We’re thrilled to add a player of his calibre, goal-scoring ability, and diverse experience to our group and look forward to the impact he will make on and off the field."

The former Celtic marksman will take one of Galaxy’s international slots, but will not be required to occupy a Designated Player (DP) spot because his salary and transfer fee breakdown fall entirely below the maximum budget threshold. MLS rules state that a player's total ‘budget charge’ will determine whether they must be registered as a DP. This charge is calculated by combining their annual salary with their transfer fee prorated over the length of the contract, and the Japanese forward fits safely under the threshold according to reports.

Furuhashi will hope the move sparks an upturn in form, after missing out on a place in Japan’s World Cup squad after scoring just three goals in 31 appearances at Birmingham. He is highly unlikely to play in his new side’s game against St. Louis City in the early hours of Thursday morning, but could make his debut away to Western Conference title chasers San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday.