Werder Bremen look set to miss out on Giorgos Giakoumakis as the Celtic target’s wage demands are too much for a club relegated from the Bundesliga last season, as reported by BILD.
It’s not often a man who scored 29 goals in 33 games the previous season is available for only £2.5 million.
But not only can Celtic sign Giakoumakis on the cheap, they appear to have a clear run at the want-away VVV–Venlo talisman.
Reported interest from Premier League trio Norwich City, Southampton and Brighton has failed to progress beyond the ‘paper talk’ stage, while even the Eredivisie’s biggest clubs don’t appear willing to meet VVV’s asking price.
Werder Bremen, too, look set to be priced out.
Full steam ahead for Celtic and Venlo star Giakoumakis?
According to BILD, Giakoumakis is looking to earn a net fee of about £600,000 a year at his next club. That translates to £10,000 a week, after tax.
And while the striker’s agent has described Werder Bremen as a “fantastic club” – tipping a side that lost 4-1 at home to Paderborn on Sunday for a quick return to the Bundesliga – Giakoumakis is just too expensive for the Weserstadion outfit.
“The market is open. We also have other options and will decide,” Giannis Emmanouilidis explains.
“Let’s wait and see what happens over the next few days. In any case, there can be no talk of an agreement with Werder, especially since first division European clubs are also involved in the race for Giakoumakis.”
Clubs like Celtic, perhaps?
Emmanouilidis admitted yesterday the Scottish Premiership giants had indeed expressed an interest in a man who suffered the ignominy of relegation from Holland’s top flight last season, despite comfortably outscoring Dusan Tadic and Donyell Malen in the Golden Boot race.
It remains to be seen whether Celtic, whose manager Ange Postecoglou has already held talks with the ice-cool poacher, are willing to pay the £10,000 a week Giakoumakis wants (Daily Record).
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