Celtic have high hopes for new signing Giorgos Giakoumakis, but he has managed just 16 minutes of first-team football this season.
The Bhoys pounced for Giakoumakis on deadline day in August.
With Odsonne Edouard sold to Crystal Palace, Celtic had to find another goalscorer. In came Giakoumakis, who had excelled at VVV-Venlo.
26 goals in the Eredivisie last season, even more than Donyell Malen before his move to Borussia Dortmund. Giakoumakis was a goal machine last term.
So far though, Celtic are yet to see that. Giakoumakis has been attempting to get up to fitness, but a setback last month has stalled his progress.
Bold Giakoumakis prediction made despite just one Celtic appearance
Hopefully Giakoumakis can get fit and firing soon, and he has been backed for huge success.
VVV-Venlo sporting director Stan Valckx has told The Herald that he thinks Giakoumakis can still score up to 20 goals this season.
Valckx thinks that prediction is ‘realistic’ having seen him first-hand in the Netherlands.
Valckx also praised Giakoumakis for his work rate and predatory instincts, believing that Celtic will have a real goalscorer on their hands – when the Greek ace is fit.
“I don’t think it is unrealistic to say that between now and the end of the season he can score between 15 and 20 goals in Scotland. That should be realistic,” said Valckx. “Before I went to Poland to watch him in the flesh I had seen a few of his games on Wyscout, and what I saw is that he never gives up.”
“He keeps running, he keeps fighting. He does very well in the box, he doesn’t need that many chances, but I didn’t see that immediately in the game in Poland. What was clear was his character,” he added.
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