Juranovic leaves Celtic for Union Berlin, Everton should look at Giakoumakis

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·22 January 2023

Juranovic leaves Celtic for Union Berlin, Everton should look at Giakoumakis

Josip Juranovic today completed a £10m move from Scottish Champions Celtic to Bundesliga high-flyers Union Berlin. The deal is reportedly provides Celtic with £7.5m up front with the balance in add-ons, surely a bargain for the Bundesliga side who are getting a player who made the World Cup team of the tournament in Qatar and helped his country secure a bronze medal for their third place finish.

Speaking to the official Union Berlin website Juranovic was clearly delighted to get the move to one of the Top Five leagues and believes his game will be well suited to the fast football in Germany.

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“The transfer to Union fulfils my dream of being able to play in one of the best football leagues in the world,” Juranovic said. “The Bundesliga is intense and robust, which suits my game,” Josip said. “I’m looking forward to playing in front of the fans at the Alte Försterei soon. In Berlin, I want to improve even more and take the next step in my career.”

Oliver Ruhnert, Union’s director of professional football, reckons that the former Celtic star is a great fit for his club. “With his pace his experience and his ability, Josip is a great fit for us. We are convinced that in him we have signed a player who will quickly be of great help, and we are very happy to have him,” Ruhnert said.

The transfer was also confirmed on the official Celtic FC website, via this short statement.

“Josip Juranovic has joined the German Bundesliga outfit Union Berlin.

“The full-back joined Celtic from Legia Warsaw in August, 2021 before making his debut the same month. That was the first of 52 games, five of those from the bench, scoring six goals in the process while with the club.

“The Croatian defender has moved to the German club having won both the league title and the League Cup in his first season with the Hoops and he followed that up by reaching the Qatar World Cup semi-final with his national side where they lost to eventual winners, Argentina.

“Everyone at the club wishes Josip all the best in his future career.”

Celtic are also set to lose popular Greece International striker Giorgos Giakoumakis for around £5m with his destination looking to be the only matter that has still to be resolved. Celtic have reached agreements with two clubs Urawa Red Diamonds in the J-League and Atlanta United in the MLS.

Watching Match of the Day last night the thought occurred that Frank Lampard could do with a proven gaolscorer like Giakoumakis – who is, according to his international manager Gus Poyet, leaving Celtic to get more game-time. Japanese striker Kyogo has been the first pick striker at Celtic this season and is the top goalscorer in the country, adding another two yesterday in the first half of the 5-0 win over Morton in the Scottish Cup.

Last season Giakoumakis finished joint top scorer in the Scottish Premiership, despite missing the first part of the season through injury. And perhaps even more relevant for Everton is what happened the year before when Giakoumakis was playing for Dutch minnows in the The Eredivisie and finished top scorer in the division scoring 26 goals in the Eredivisie in 29 games before making the move to Celtic.

Those goals didn’t prevent the team being relegated but thinking about any striker playing for a team deep in relegation trouble in a decent league, chances would be few and far between, so to get 26 gaols is mightily impressive.

Greece manager Gus Poyet was reported in Daily Record today talking about Giakoumakis. “Giorgos is a strong character, he likes to play football, he gives you 100 per cent all the time. That’s why he’s so popular with Celtic. He’s got better in front of goal and scored a few goals.

“But this season he wasn’t playing regularly. He felt he wanted to play. At first I heard it was this team in Japan he was going to sign for and now I hear it’s the team in MLS. I always tell any player when they ask for my opinion that they have to make good decisions. The more good decisions you make in your career, the better your career gets.

“But wherever he is in the world, he will be in the national team if he doesn’t have injury problems. I like him a lot and he is an important member of the Greek national team and I hope he makes the right decision for himself and for the national team.”