Kyogo Furuhashi Endures Nightmare Start at Rennes as Injury Woes Resurface
Kyogo Furuhashi’s move to France has gotten off to a rocky start, with the former Celtic star struggling to make an impact at Rennes as they battle relegation in Ligue 1.
The 30-year-old striker left the Scottish Premiership last month in hopes of helping Rennes escape the drop, but his transition has been anything but smooth. Shortly after his arrival, manager Jorge Sampaoli—who pushed for his £10 million signing—was sacked and replaced by Habib Beye. Since then, Kyogo has found himself on the fringes of the squad, making just one start since leaving Celtic Park. He was even left on the bench for last week’s victory over Saint-Étienne.
Beye finally gave Kyogo a chance to prove himself in last weekend’s match against Lille, bringing him on as a substitute with Rennes down 2-0 and reduced to ten men. However, his return to action quickly turned disastrous as he was forced off just minutes later with a shoulder injury—an issue that has plagued him throughout his career.
During his time at Celtic, Kyogo frequently struggled with shoulder problems, with manager Brendan Rodgers warning that another flare-up could require surgery and a four-month recovery period. Rodgers previously stated:
“He’s had this issue for a long time—even before he joined Celtic. He’s been managing his shoulder, but sometimes it flares up. He could opt for surgery, but that would keep him out for about four months. It’s his decision to make. He’s 29 years old, so he knows what’s best for him.”
Rennes boss Habib Beye was left frustrated by the turn of events, as Kyogo’s early exit left the team with just nine players on the pitch. Speaking after the match, Beye admitted the setbacks made an already difficult game even harder:
*”Red cards and injuries don’t help, but I won’t use them as an excuse. Kyogo’s injury forced us to change our system. At that moment, we had a spark of energy, but our decision-making in the final third wasn’t always right. We lacked precision and attacking weight to put Lille under real pressure.
Playing with ten men was tough, but with nine, it became even harder. Still, I appreciated the fighting spirit of my players. Despite being dominated, we showed a real desire to win.”*
With Rennes battling to avoid relegation, Kyogo’s injury comes at a terrible time—both for the club and for his hopes of establishing himself in French football.
