Giorgos’ Giakoumakis has reportedly agreed terms with Urawa Red Diamonds ahead of his Celtic exit.
The Greek striker’s Parkhead future was plunged into doubt after contract talks between player and club broke down. Giakoumakis is understood to have been seeking guarantees about more game time while negotiating an improved salary. He’s been second choice to Kyogo Furuhashi in attack and an agreement with the Hoops over salary didn’t look like being reached, so the champions have decided to cash in.
The J League outfit are being heavily bankrolled and look to have gotten their man, according to Japanese outlet Sponichi. They claim that Giakoumakis is on his way to Japan, where he’ll undergo a medical before signing and being officially unveiled as a Urawa Reds player. The news comes just hours before Ange Postecoglou’s side take on Kilmarnock in the Viaplay Cup semi-final at Hampden, which Giakoumakis will now certainly miss if reports in Japan are accurate.
It had been thought that Sampdoria were the new front runners in the race to sign Giakoumakis. The Serie A side’s preference was for a loan until the end of the season with an option to buy.
However, Urawa look to have beaten them to the punch. It leaves Celtic now in more need of a new frontman after it was claimed that a deal for South Korean star Cho Gue-sung is off.
Mainz had a bid rejected for the World Cup star. And Celtic’s pursuit of other targets left the player and his club, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, feeling that he wasn’t wanted enough in order to commit to moving to Glasgow, and will remain in Korea for the time being.
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