Kyogo and Idah Celtic conundrum solved by ex striker as Brendan Rodgers works out double act plan

Adam Idah ticks just about every box required for a Celtic striker, according to Craig Beattie.

But when it comes to being the man the ‘tic want in the box he reckons Kyogo Furuhashi is still No.1. Beattie was blown away by the instant impact of Norwich loanee Idah when he arrived in a deadline day loan from Carrow Road in January. Two huge goals on his first start against Hibs fired the gun on a five-month run that saw him score crucial goals against Motherwell, Rangers and at Kilmarnock on the night the title was secured before notching a last-minute winner in the Scottish Cup Final victory over their Old Firm rivals.

Pace, power and precision in front of goal made him a favourite with the Hoops support despite a less than enthusiastic reception when the 23-year-old first arrived. Brendan Rodgers has made no secret of his desire to land the Ireland international on a permanent contract. But he’ll have to wait with new Norwich boss Johannes Hoff Thorup keen to cast an eye over Idah before making a decision on a player who is understood to be rated around £5million by the Canaries.

However long that process takes, Beattie reckons there should be no major sweat. Not while Kyogo is still at Parkhead. The Japan international’s lightning movement in front of goal makes him one of the best the 40-year-old has ever witnessed.

And Beattie, who broke through at Parkhead in 2003 before going on to win titles in 2004, 2006 and 2007, reckons a Kyogo-Idah double act next season would be great news for everyone. He said: “Competition is always healthy. Kyogo is a top player regardless.

“You know when you play at that level, there’s always going to be competition. From the outset, I think Idah had everything going for him. He’s a great size. He’s quick, lean. He can hold it up and he ticks a lot of boxes. You saw the goal in the Scottish Cup Final, he got the scrappy one and tapped it in.

“As a centre-forward they’re the best ones. The scrappy ones when you’re in the right place. Guys like Kevin Phillips scored a couple of hundred of them in their career – and that’s not a criticism in any way. Once you’re scoring them, the ones from the edge of the box are a bonus.

“When you’re scoring those tap-ins regularly, you just feel unstoppable. Kyogo is still a fantastic player. His movement is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. I remember being struck by just how good his movement was when he first arrived.

“When you’ve got quality players around about you like Matt O’Riley, you’re going to get good numbers. Adam came in and made an impact. He has been fantastic. But there’s 100 per cent still a role for Kyogo. It’s a good problem for Brendan to have if he has to work with both Kyogo and Idah.”

It wasn’t just Idah’s arrival that sparked Celtic’s charge to a third title in succession. James Forrest’s late burst back on to the scene produced five goals in the final 10 games. It proved there’s plenty of life left in the one-club winger who is preparing for a 16th season in the Hoops top team.

His form thrust Forrest back into Scotland’s Euros squad. And just a month ahead of his 33rd birthday, Beattie reckons Forrest is still the benchmark for any new wide men coming into Celtic Park such as Nicolas Kuhn and Yang Hyun-jun.

He said: “Jamesy is a great lad, first and foremost. His attitude is second to none.

"Brendan in his first spell at Celtic really brought him on. His pressing and other areas of his game improved and he gets really important goals and assists for Celtic.

“He’s a super player, whether starting or off the bench. He’s Mr Reliable. He never lets you down and his accolades are stacking up. He’s second in the all-time list of winners at Celtic and he’s a phenomenal story.

“Especially at Celtic, when they’ve got money and making a lot of signings, James is still the one. It’s not out of sentiment. That’s not because of his past success, it’s because he has earned it and deserved it. They’ve spent a lot of money on wingers and that’s the challenge for people coming into Celtic. James is still one of their key men and it’s hard to get him out of the team.”