Ange Postecoglou is growing weary of the constant speculation surrounding Giorgos Giakoumakis.
Fabrizio Romano intensified claims that the striker was on his way out of Celtic when he tweeted on Monday that terms had been agreed with Urawa Red Diamonds.
After scoring against Kilmarnock on Saturday it was a surprise to find Giakoumakis missing from the matchday squad that faced St Mirren tonight.
Cameron Carter-Vickers and Alexandro Bernabei started at Hampden but joined Giakoumakis in the stand but the post-match attention was all on a certain striker.
The Scotsman reports Postecoglou saying:
I just deal with what is in front of me, and until I’m told otherwise or something significant happens. He was here tonight mate, so you could have asked him yourself… He’s still very much part of our set-up, I’m not playing ducks and drakes. He would have been involved tonight if he wasn’t injured.
Kyogo Furuhashi scored twice in the 4-0 win over St Mirren, the eighth successive match that he has started.
Saturday’s Scottish Cup tie at home to Morton looks like the opportunity to give Kyogo a rest, when the team-lines are announced the immediate scan will be to see if Giakoumakis is back involved.
Giorgios is on a lengthy contract. It would take a generous offer to prise him away (given the cost of a similar replacement).