Atlanta United are still looking to sign Giorgos Giakoumakis according to Anthony Joseph.
There have been various reports about the state of play regarding the striker with claims about undergoing a medical in Amsterdam ahead of signing for Urawa Red Diamonds.
It would be an unusual career move for a 28-year-old to switch from Europe to Asia but that seems to be the route that Giakoumakis is on.
UPDATE: Giorgos Giakoumakis (pictured at the airport yesterday) has passed a medical in The Netherlands, ahead of a proposed move to Urawa Red Diamonds.
Atlanta United are still trying to gazump URD. But, their loan with option-to-buy bids have been rejected by Celtic, so far. https://t.co/9HsF44e77d pic.twitter.com/02HrD9zYB5
— Anthony Joseph (@AnthonyRJoseph) January 28, 2023
Atlanta are widely reported to have offered to take Giakoumakis on loan which seems to be of little benefit to Celtic.
News that their signing target has undergone a medical to move to Japan could force a change of heart with the MLS side, for a fee of £4m getting a ready made striker seems like outstanding value.
With Oh Hyeon-gyu signed and settling in there seems little likelihood of a way back for Giakoumakis at Celtic.
It is all speculation of course. But if he is allowed to leave, then the mangers judgement is that we will have enough fire-power in Oh and Kyogo. That means that there are only two out and out strikers at the Club.
To win the two cup trophies, we will certainly need them both to be fit on the day, to score the goals that win the trophies! Failing that, we will have to rely on other players to chip in goals.
An injury to either or both strikers would not be good for us. With Giakoumakos on the bench, we have a ready replacement and a reliable scorer. If he is allowed to leave, we will of course forfeit that.
I don’t really see the benefit of selling him in this window.