Director says Celtic must pay £10m for star but Hoops may have a trick up sleeve

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Utrecht hope to make around £10 million via the sale of Anastosios Douvikas this summer amid reports linking Celtic with the Eredivisie Golden Boot-chaser. 

Then again, the Hoops may just have an ace up their sleeve.

A £10 million price-tag would make Douvikas the club’s record signing. Even with the benefit of Champions League funds, it seems unlikely that Celtic will devote an eight-figure sum on bringing in a single player this summer. Even one as exciting and as prolific as Douvikas. 

The good news, however, is that the Glasgow giants have a potential makeweight in the shape of Vasilias Barkas. 

An unnamed ‘insider’ speaking with knowledge of FC Utrecht has suggested, via the Scottish Sun, that Celtic could aim to strike a swap deal with the Eredivisie outfit. Barkas has shone on loan at Utrecht and the opportunity to keep him around – even if that means losing Douvikas – may be one too good to turn down. 

Could Celtic really bring in Anastosios Douvikas?

Jordy Zuidam, the club’s technical director, accepts that Utrecht could not afford to sign Barkas permanently. At least, not unless a compromise can be reached.

“To be honest, the chances of (Barkas) staying are minimal,” Zuidam explains. 

“I know that there is a lot of interest from players like Douvikas. If we want to keep the club healthy, we have to make transfers. We aim to (bring in) about 12 million euros.”

With 16 goals in 21 starts, Barkas’ fellow Greece international is currently leading the chase to be crowned the Eredivisie’s Golden Boot for 2023/24. If he crosses the line ahead of Sydney van Hooijdonk, Santiago Gimenez and co, he will be following in the footsteps of another player who eventually left the Netherlands for Parkhead; former VVV Venlo talisman Giorgios Giakoumakis. 

“I don’t want to think about (a transfer) at the moment,” Douvikas told RTV over the weekend. “I’ll only make a decision after the season. I really don’t know if I will leave Utrecht this summer, I mean that.” 

“If there isn’t a club where I would like to go, I might stay. I don’t have a preference for a competition, but I would like to play in the Premier League one day.

“I don’t know if a club from England has already contacted my agent.”