Giorgos Giakoumakis completed his move to MLS side Atlanta United having spent 18 months at Celtic Park.
The Greek striker made the switch to Glasgow on deadline day in the summer of 2021 alongside Jota and Cameron Carter-Vickers [Celtic FC].
Ange Postecoglou’s side were badly short in the midfield area as they steered towards Christmas and it’s not worth thinking about how different the team would be without the additions on deadline day.
However, out the three players it was Giakoumakis who made the least impact during the first half of the season having sustained an injury after match away to Dundee in November.
Before then, he had only managed to get on the scoresheet once for the Hoops which came in the 2-0 victory over St Johnstone in late October but then a week later he missed an injury-time penalty against Livingston that would have sent the Hoops top of the league.
He returned to the side after the winter break and had a remarkable record of scoring goals without having to take a touch.
Giakoumakis had three big goals during his first season and that came in matches against Hearts, Dundee and Dundee United.
The game away to Hearts at Tynecastle is always a tough encounter but after Reo Hatate put the away side ahead from an absolute rocket, Giakoumakis doubled the lead on a night that felt like a pivotal game in the title race.
Looking at his overall contribution of goals last season, the Greek striker only actually scored in eight league matches as he tended to bag a couple in some fixtures.
He scored two hat-tricks but the most crucial one appeared to come against Dundee in a 3-2 victory at Celtic Park. The match came after a disappointing first-leg tie against Bodø/Glimt. On that day he made a bold prediction about the outcome of the title but was evidently proven right.
Following that game, he hit a hat-trick again against Ross County and scored against St Johnstone and Hearts. In isolation, he didn’t score in any derby appearances but did cause Rangers defence a lot of problems that allowed for the Hoops other players to do damage.
A part of his game which was frustrating was his link up play which is reflected in his assists as he only managed two.
The final big goal to talk about came on the night that the Hoops clinched the title at Tannadice. His goal proved pivotal in a 1-1 draw which completed the title journey under Ange in his first season.
Like all players, he made a big contribution to Celtic winning the league this season but a lesson the club have hopefully learned from seasons past is not to keep players who want to move in.
It will not be tolerated under Postecoglou’s reign and as a player at 28-years-old was not going to receive the contract he wanted as the second choice to Kyogo Furuhashi who has hit 22 goals this season.
Giakoumakis contributed 26 goals during his time at Parkhead but no player is ever bigger than the club and he moves on to a new challenge in the USA.
