Concerned Kris Commons reckons Celtic could be left scrambling to find a new striker this month - and fears similar deals that brought Mo Bangura and Stefan Scepovic to the club.
Giorgos Giakoumakis looks set to leave the Scottish Premiership this month with the 28-year-old attracting interest from across Europe, but the Urawa Red Diamonds appear to be in poll position for a deal with a bumper package on the table to secure a move to the J-League this month. Ange Postecoglou looks set to move quickly to replace the towering Greek frontman with Suwon Bluewings striker Oh Hyeon-gyu set to jet in from South Korea.
Despite the swift succession plan at Celtic Park Commons has major concerns over the options up front at Parkhead for the title run-in and their bid to win a domestic Treble. He reckons Postecoglou should have rotated Kyogo Furuhashi and Giakoumakis to keep both strikers happy at the club - and borrow from Brendan Rodgers' Celtic playbook.
Writing for the Daily Mail, Commons said: "Celtic's record with signing forwards in the last decade has been patchy at best. For every Gary Hooper, there have been several like Mo Bangura and Stefan Scepovic. Even talented players like Teemu Pukki never showed their best in a green and white jersey.
"So I can understand the concern among supporters when a success story like Giorgos Giakoumakis seems set to leave the club when there are no guarantees if the players who've been suggested as replacements will fill his boots. Listen, I'm also a fan of the Greek. He only really played half a season last year and he ended up as the Premiership's joint top scorer.
"Give him a run in the team and his confidence would grow to the point where he'd easily score 25 goals a season. His only problem is that he's not Kyogo Furuhashi the player who Ange Postecoglou clearly sees as his No 1 striker.
"And no matter what Giakoumakis does, it's clear that he's always going to be playing second fiddle to the Japanese forward. I'm sure money does come into it but, at 28, Giakoumakis will feel he should be starting every week.
"Quite why Postecoglou doesn't rotate a bit more the way Brendan Rodgers used to only he could explain but that's his prerogative. Assuming Giakoumakis does leave for Japan this week, there's a huge pressure on the manager to recruit an adequate replacement.
"Everything he's done in the transfer market since coming to Glasgow suggests he'll do just that. But I can still appreciate fans being anxious until they see Giakoumakis' replacement in the flesh."
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