Charlie Nicholas is concerned that Ange Postecoglou isn’t involved in the transfer decisions taken over Josip Juranovic and Giorgos Giakoumakis.
The Greek striker has been linked with a January exit from Celtic after talks over a new deal reportedly stalled. Juranovic is attracting interest and Alistair Johnston has been signed as a replacement should his valuation be met. Nicholas isn't convinced his former club are set to make huge money on the Croat and believes he and Giakoumakis aren’t at the top of the Hoops’ wage scale.
Postecoglou’s transfer business has been shrewd so far. But Nicholas knows there will come a time he won’t get it right and that’s a problem if celtic are prepared to move on their stars and just expect the boss to come up with the goods to constantly replace them. He wrote in his Daily Express column: “I am concerned with what is happening on the contract front with Josip Juranovic and Giorgos Giakoumakis at Celtic - and even more so if Ange Postecoglou isn't involved in the decisions.
“Both are big players, so it's alarming they could be sold by the club if neither are able to agree new deals. Players come and go, I get it, but the bigger picture worries me.What does Postecoglou really think about losing two of his key men?
I am a big fan of Juranovic. He hasn't looked out of place with Croatia in the knockout stages of the World Cup and could easily play in the English Premier League or any one of Europe's top divisions.
And the versatility of a right-back who can also play left-back is invaluable. If Celtic sold Juranovic they would certainly get more than the £2.5million they paid Legia Warsaw for him last year, but I don't think it would be a massive profit.
I know the club have just signed Alistair Johnston from Montreal for £3m but he isn't a better right-back. There would also be a lot of interest in Greek striker Giakoumakis because he has scored a lot of goals for Celtic despite not being a regular starter.
The wage packets of Giakoumakis and Juranovic will be nowhere near what the top earners at Parkhead are on, and by all accounts the offers that are on the table would still have left them some way short of that level. It will be nothing like the Martin O'Neill era of big contracts.
It takes me back to my first spell at Celtic in the early Eighties. I was on £90 a week and the top-paid players were on £300 a week. I only wanted the same as the top players but I was told that if I didn't take Celtic's contract offer of £90 then I would be sold.
Is this how things are playing out just now with Juranovic and Giakoumakis? Celtic get in these guys on g relatively cheap wages and then try to top them up with a token gesture on their contracts.
And if the players dig their heels in then it seems the club is happy to sell them on because they expect Postecoglou to fill the gaps. He has done that brilliantly but there will come a time when he brings in one or two and they are not right.
Look at Ryan Christie. His contract was running down and Celtic got rid of him for £1.5m last year. My concern is that Postecoglou could end up getting frustrated with the club's approach when he is trying to build something.”
Nicholas pointed to Brendan Rodgers’ exit as an example of what can happen when the boss keeps seeing his big names head for the exit door. And he doesn't think Postecoglou will suffer the same from the parkhead hierarchy.
“Brendan Rodgers left the Parkhead managerial hotseat in 2019 because he wasn't happy with the way things were going,” said Nicholas. “I can't see Postecoglou taking any nonsense from the hierarchy, so I hope it doesn't end the same way for him as it did for Rodgers.
“I just hope the Australian has a say in these calls on his players' futures and that they aren't being made by others.”
READ NEXT:
