The Scepovic story
Football - Celtic v Inverness Caledonian Thistle - Scottish Premiership - Celtic Park - 24/5/15 Celtic's Stefan Scepovic celebrates scoring their third goal Action Images via Reuters / Graham Stuart Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.
There were plenty of strange signings made by Ronny Deila with his first permanent deal among the most baffling.
Stefan Scepovic had turned a move to Scotland down earlier in the summer 2014 transfer window but after bringing in five loan signings Celtic were badly in need of a striker as the transfer window was about to close.
Temmu Pukki and Tony Watt had been moved on leaving Anthony Stokes and Leigh Griffiths as the only striking options open to the new Celtic boss with neither player appearing to fit Deila’s identikit for a striker.
On the final day of the August transfer window moves to sign Scepovic were revived with John Guidetti also coming into the equation on loan from Manchester City.
As it turned out Guidetti and Scepovic were signed to compete for the role of sole striker although red tape meant that the confident young Swede wouldn’t be able to play in the Europa League.
While Guidetti started life in a blaze of goals Scepovic had to impress in the Europa League, making the most of his Thursday night outings with two goals from 14 appearances.
Domestically the Serbian managed four SPFL goals from four starts and 14 appearances off the bench.
Playing as the sole striker never seemed to suit his game with a loan deal to Getafe agreed for the 2015/16 season which became permanent at the end of that term.
Scepovic rarely stays more than a season at any club and returned to his ‘spiritual home’ of Sporting Gijon in the summer to lead their promotion push back to the top flight.
So far he has managed just four goals from 12 starts with Gijon well off the pace sitting in 10th place in the 22 team division.
Sixth place does earn a play-off spot but it looks like Scepovic and Gijon have their work cut out as the former Celtic striker turns out for his tenth club before his 28th birthday next week.