Brendan Rodgers hails 'absolutely perfect' Kyogo and 'tireless' Maeda amid new Celtic deals for the pair

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has hailed the new deals handed to Japan duo Kyogo Furuhashi and Daizen Maeda.

The former Leicester City and Liverpool boss, on his second spell with the Hoops, is excited to work the pair ahead of the new season.

Both men put pen to paper on extended four-year contracts that will keep them tied to the Hoops until 2027.

Rodgers is delighted with the news and singled out Kyogo for special praise by insisting last season’s Premiership top goal-scorer and player of the year is “absolutely perfect” for the style of play he wants to produce in his return to Scotland.

Speaking to Celtic TV he said: “I’ve normally always had a striker at the top end of the field who’s got pace and who’s dynamic, and for me Kyogo’s absolutely perfect.

“His work-rate, his intensity, how he presses the game and his movement is that of a very top striker.

“I’ve spoken to him on video and you just get a sense of his character and his mentality, so I’m really looking forward to working with both him and Daizen and they’ll join us when we get to Portugal.”

And on Maeda’s speed, the manager added: “You can’t underestimate that. He’s a player different to some of the others.

“Some of the other players’ strengths are dribbling and taking people on, but what he gives the team is he can play in a number of positions.

“He sets the tone for the pressing, whether he’s playing on the left side or sometimes he plays through the middle when he’s played for Japan, so wherever he plays, he presses the game.

“He works tirelessly and if we can help him add more goals to his game then you’ll see him constantly improve hopefully.”

One of the few players Rodgers will be working with again is James Forrest who flourished under his guidance in his last spell in charge with 32 goals in the three seasons they worked together, including the first goal of the Rodgers era in 2016.

And he is another who the manager is excited about working with again.

He said: “James has been an absolutely brilliant ambassador and player for the club.

“I think that sometimes when you come through the system you maybe don’t quite get the accolades of some others, but when you play the number of games he has for Celtic, win the trophies that he’s won and still be as humble as he is, that’s a great testament to James and the type of person he is.

“He was absolutely brilliant for me in my first time here, a very important member of the squad and he will be that again this time.”