Another two fine finishes in the 4-2 victory away to Dundee, to follow on from his classy strike in the 3-2 Europa League success against Ferencvaros in Budapest, has the 12-goal Japanese frontman looking like he score in every appearance.
And, to his cost, Anthony Ralston can vouch for the 26-year-old feeling entirely comfortable in his Celtic surrounds away from the field following his summer move to Glasgow.
Furuhashi may still be picking up the local tongue, but he knows comedy is a universal language. As he demonstrated in supplying the full-back a Halloween jump-scare recently when he cut the lights as Ralston was conducting a question and answer alongside Stephen Welsh for Celtic TV before giving his team-mate the fight of his life by jumping in front of him with a Scream mask on.
So now, to add to the roles of predator, team cheer-leader and even litter-picker that the support have witnessed at various points can be added prankster to effervescent personalities array of talents.
“He’s got that as well … he certainly got me good,” said Ralston. “Kyogo’s got his translator but his English is coming on well and he gets on great with the boys and he’s around us every day in training. We all make an effort too because of the language barrier. But his football does most of the talking anyway. He’s been great and I’m delighted for him again [over the Dundee goals].”
Furuhashi shared the goal spoils at Dens with the fizzing Jota, while Ralston played his own major role with three assists in the Tayside encounter. The full-back, said he is “loving every minute” of a Celtic renaissance providing him so landmark moments, not least putting pen to a new contract this week that commits him to the club since 2025. He rates Celtic frontline trio of Liel Abada, Furuhashi and Jota “up there with the best” he has played with. “You’ve seen for yourself what Kyogo’s been like since he came, he’s been top,” said the Celtic right-back. “And it’s the same with Jota too. It’s the professionalism they show, and it’s the same for Liel too. They are cracking boys.”
Not that Ralston is proving any slouch in the attacking third. His trio of assists on Tayside, which involved two sumptuous crosses that were capitalised on fully by Furuhashi and Jota, means he now boasts four goals and four assists across the campaign.
“I am delighted to contribute to the team in a positive way,” the Celtic performer said. “My job’s to defend but if I can help the team in any way in an attacking sense then I’m happy to do so. It’s something I’ve been working on at the training ground, my final ball and when I’m in that area to take my time and pick someone out. So I’m happy I’ve been able to do that against Dundee.”
