Soccer Football - Scottish League Cup - Semi Final - Celtic v Kilmarnock - Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - January 14, 2023 Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou celebrates after the match REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
It is fair to say that Giorgos Giakoumakis won’t be featuring for Celtic away to St Johnstone on Sunday.
The striker scored as recently as January 14- against Kilmarnock at Hampden- but has missed out on the last four matches as other clubs negotiate for his transfer.
News has leaked out from Japan and from Atlanta about the state of negotiations but Perth isn’t on the horizon even though Giakoumakis was the late match-winner on Celtic’s last visit to the city.
Ange Postecoglou lives in the present with his plans all around the next match, the next month, the next transfer window.
When the speculation started after the World Cup break the Celtic boss was happy to include Giakoumakis, using him frequently off the bench but with Oh Hyeon-gyu now in the building Postecoglou’s interest has virtually ended in the former AEK Athens striker.
To be honest, it’s not on my radar any more. I will probably hear it about the same time as you guys.
Maybe, if you are on Instagram, you will hear about it earlier than me. It’s not on my radar, I don’t expect him back in the group, but it hasn’t been finalised yet.
Atlanta United seem to be the favourites to sign Giakoumakis with their transfer window open until April 24 with their first MLS match on February 26.
So, he’ll get a few years, maybe doubling his wages and he’ll perhaps never be heard of again, (provided he doesn’t get injured). So, Good Luck to him!
It seems he might have been blinded by money, but there you go!
Maybe his wife’s biting his ear or he fancies it in Atlanta or wherever!
Everybody else wants to come to Europe to play in the UCL but the Big Greek’s got it all figured – maybe!
So, Good Luck to him! I don’t think the chance will come again for him.
But he ain’t really gone until he’s gone though, is he?!