With reports circulating which suggest Celtic striker Giorgos Giakoumakis may be unhappy with his current contract situation at Parkhead, some of The Celtic Way team ponder the issue...

So what should the club's position be on the Greece international come the January transfer window?

Sean Martin

'Player plays well in his first season and wants an increase' isn’t that controversial. If he’s been promised one if he performed to a high level, finishes top scorer and then doesn’t get one then that becomes the club’s problem for me.

He should, however, have got it written into his contract last summer if that was the case albeit discussions over a new deal with both Giakoumakis and Liel Abada have been doing the rounds since early last month so the new terms part of this doesn't seem to be up for debate.

In terms of the article that has sparked this panel, to put it out there you (reportedly) want to go in January is maybe a step too far in terms of negotiation poker because I get the feeling after Ange Postecoglou’s AGM comments about transfers that the response from the club, especially with no European considerations, might well be ‘OK if a bid comes you can go’ rather than ‘ahh, sorry, here is your raise’. He is under contract until 2026 after all, Celtic hold the power in that regard.

I pointed out during the summer that, technically, Giakoumakis has only had two good scoring campaigns in his career (last season at Parkhead and the one before with VVV-Venlo). He is 28 in just over a week and his stock probably hasn't been higher. He also arguably doesn't fit the archetype of a Postecoglou striker.

But it works. He's second choice to Kyogo Furuhashi but still has eight goals in the minutes equivalent of 11 full 90s this term. Celtic got him for around £2.5million so potentially turning that into, say, £6-7million or more could make good business sense for the club especially if he’s genuinely not happy with the contract situation…. but the Parkhead powers that be would have to weigh that up against how integral he has been on the pitch.

As for me? I still say don’t sell unless it’s a seriously good offer. If a promise has been made then come to an amicable agreement. European football off the schedule or not, there’s still a treble to be won and this is last season’s league top scorer we’re talking about. Theoretically replacing him is one thing but the reality quite another.

Tony Haggerty

There is more than a whiff of agent talk surrounding this story.

I felt like I’d leapt Back to the Future a bit. For Giakoumakis, I read the names Pierre van Hooijdonk and Paolo Di Canio.

Thankfully Celtic are in a better place and shape than they were back then when Fergus McCann promised both players that they would not get 'one more thin dime' from the Hoops after pledging their signatures to a contract.

The Greek striker's contribution has been telling – he ended up the joint top goalscorer in Celtic's title win last season – so it is up to all parties to get around the negotiating table and reach an amicable solution.

Celtic Way:

However, he is not indispensable nor irreplaceable. Ange Postecoglou signalled that there might well be some departures from the club during the January transfer window. The Aussie might not be best pleased that this stuff has now entered the public domain.

Celtic will surely, as the manager likes to say, ‘act like a big club’ in all of this and work on the premise that no player is bigger than the club.

Postecoglou and chief executive Michael Nicholson will likely want this nipped in the bud either way before it is allowed to fester and upset any applecart. Giakoumakis is contracted until 2026 and it will take a big-money offer to prise away one of Celtic's biggest assets.

Let the narrative play out as it is a definite case of Que Sera, Sera. Whatever happens, it will be in the best interest of Giakoumakis, Postecoglou, Nicholson and Celtic FC.

There is a domestic treble at stake here, though, so now is not the time for that train to be derailed.

Aidan Macdonald

From my point of view this is a difficult situation for everyone involved.

If Giakoumakis feels he was promised something, and Celtic have not delivered on it, then that is poor form from the decision-makers at the club.

He was an important player last season and was a vital part of the league-winning team, particularly in Kyogo’s absence.

While we do not know the specifics of the finances or promises involved, if he was promised a wage increase which is within the current structure then his contributions surely merit it.

However, if his demands are ludicrous then the club may well look to move the player on out of principle.

Celtic Way:

He is contracted until 2026 and his recent goalscoring record would merit a decent transfer fee that could be reinvested.

It is easy to see both sides but, in my opinion, the Hoops should be trying their best to keep him.

His goals are not easy to replace and if Postecoglou’s men want to be successful again this season then they are going to need a striker like Giakoumakis to help them over the line.

Getting someone of his ilk in the January window is going to be very difficult and that is why everyone concerned should hope this current situation can be resolved.

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