Celtic forward Kyogo Furuhashi has revealed that he is closing in on a return from a hamstring injury.

The Japanese international has been out of action for the best part of three months but he says that he is “hoping” to be back playing in the not too distant future:

“I have been absent since I was injured in December last year, but now I am in very good condition and I feel that I will be back soon. I’m glad to hear a lot of messages from the supporters. I am spending my time hoping to get back to the pitch as soon as possible, whether it’s a day or a match.”

Furuhashi’s remarks have certainly raised hopes that he will return for the derby against Rangers at the beginning of next month but, it must be pointed out, that even though he could be back by then, he will be far from his peak fitness levels.

The best that supporters can probably hope for is a cameo off the bench at Ibrox but it is still very promising to hear the 27-year-old sounding so confident about his fitness.

Considering Giorgos Giakoumakis‘s excellent recent form, he may have a job on his hands getting his place back in the starting lineup, but having him available should give the team a massive lift going into the final two months of the season.