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“What a REGRET to HOOPS, player sold for for just £2.5m now Worth far more than Idah
Celtic fans may have watched the latest international matches with mixed feelings, especially after seeing the impressive performances of Ben Doak, a former player of one of the Old Firm sides. Doak, now a rising star at Liverpool, made the move in 2022 during Ange Postecoglou’s tenure. He had only made two senior appearances for Celtic before being lured to the Premier League. At just 19, Doak is gaining recognition, particularly after his standout performance against Croatia, where he gave Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol a tough time in a 1-0 win.
TalkSPORT pundit Ally McCoist has even compared Doak’s playing style to that of Jude Bellingham, praising his freedom on the field. Doak’s rise is a reminder of what Celtic might have lost, raising the question of whether more could have been done to keep him. His departure is one of several notable exits during Postecoglou’s time, leaving some wondering what could have been.
Noteworthy Celtic Departures Under Ange Postecoglou
One of Postecoglou’s greatest achievements at Celtic was his recruitment strategy. He brought in key players such as Reo Hatate, Daizen Maeda, and Matt O’Riley at relatively low costs. The experienced coach also made shrewd decisions by selling players at the right time, such as Josip Juranovic’s move to Union Berlin in January 2023, with Alistair Johnston already lined up as his replacement.
While Juranovic’s departure has proven successful, as he’s struggled for playing time in Berlin, Johnston has thrived at Celtic. However, another departure that perhaps hasn’t been fully addressed was Giorgos Giakoumakis. The powerful Greek striker left in 2023, and his departure left a noticeable gap in the squad, with young Adam Idah still not quite filling the void.
Celtic’s Missed Opportunity with Giakoumakis
After selling Odsonne Edouard, Postecoglou strengthened his forward line in the summer of 2021 with two key signings: Kyogo Furuhashi from Vissel Kobe for £4.6m and Giakoumakis from VVV-Venlo for £2.5m. The latter was seen as a more proven option, given his success in Europe, particularly his impressive 26 goals in 30 Eredivisie matches during the 2020/21 season.
Although Kyogo quickly became Postecoglou’s first-choice striker, Giakoumakis made an impact with 17 goals in 29 appearances during his debut season, despite often coming off the bench. Despite his efforts, he remained second-choice heading into the 2022/23 season. Even after a run of four goals in three consecutive league starts in October 2022, Giakoumakis couldn’t secure a more prominent role and was sold to Atlanta United in February 2023 for £4.3m, ending his time at Celtic with 26 goals in 57 appearances.
Since leaving, Giakoumakis has thrived, scoring 24 goals in 46 matches for Atlanta United and continuing his fine form at Cruz Azul in Mexico, where he’s already registered six goals and four assists in 2024/25.
The Comparison with Adam Idah
In contrast, Adam Idah, who was brought in during the summer of 2023, has struggled to make an impact, scoring just five goals with no assists so far. There are still questions about the wisdom of his £9.5m acquisition, especially considering he has netted only 31 goals in 150 senior appearances across his career. By comparison, Giakoumakis has already scored 30 goals since leaving Celtic.
While Idah is still young and has time to develop, Celtic fans may feel a sense of regret over Giakoumakis’ departure, particularly given that the Greek striker is now valued at €9m (£7.5m) according to Transfermarkt, compared to Idah’s current valuation of €5m (£4m). Hopefully, Idah will step up to the challenge and prove himself as worthy competition for Kyogo, but for now, Giakoumakis’ exit still feels like a missed opportunity.
