Expert suggests real reason Giorgos Giakoumakis could quit Celtic after latest development
Frank McAvennie has claimed Giorgos Giakoumakis could quit Celtic for the J-League to make more money.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Hoops striker said he wouldn’t mind if Giakoumakis stayed at Parkhead but knows Kyogo Furuhashi will continue to be number one.
According to the Daily Record (10 January), Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds have offered the 28-year-old double his current salary in an attempt to land a deal for the striker.
The J-League side face competition from clubs in Germany, Russia and Italy to land the Greece international and are believed to be prepared to pay £4million to get a deal done.
The Celts have been linked with South Korean World Cup star Cho Gue-sung amid the uncertainty surrounding Giakoumakis’ future and are believed to have made an offer.
The forward’s contract runs until 2026 and he rejected attempts from Parkhead bosses to tie him down longer-term.
McAvennie suggested the real reason Giakoumakis could head for Japan.
“I think the outsiders like Giakoumakis might get more money going to Japan than the Japanese boys would coming to Celtic,” he told Football Insider.
“I think Giakoumakis is a good player, they want another striker. They would not do that if they think Giakoumakis is staying.
“I would not mind him staying. I think Kyogo is number one simply because of his movement, it is different class. Celtic play a different way when Kyogo is playing.“
In other news, Celtic could accept cut-price Josip Juranovic bid – ‘he would have been aiming higher,’ says pundit.