Two in, three out in Celtic attack as Odsonne Edouard heads departures

Ryan Christie and Leigh Griffiths also left Parkhead on deadline day as Joao Felipe Jota and Giorgos Giakoumakis checked in.

Anthony Brown
Wednesday 01 September 2021 00:00 BST
Ryan Christie, left, and Odsonne Edouard were among the departures from Celtic (Ian McNichol/PA)
Ryan Christie, left, and Odsonne Edouard were among the departures from Celtic (Ian McNichol/PA)

Joao Felipe Jota and Giorgos Giakoumakis checked into Celtic on transfer deadline day as three big names headed through the Parkhead exit door.

Jota, a 22-year-old Portuguese winger, joined on a season-long loan from Benfica, with an option to buy, while Greek striker Giakoumakis arrived from Dutch side VVV-Venlo on a five-year contract.

The 26-year-old, who has won six caps for Greece since making his international debut last year, finished top scorer in the Eredivisie last term with 26 goals despite his club getting relegated.

As the two new men pledged their futures to Celtic, a trio of high-profile attackers departed the club. Odsonne Edouard – who scored 88 goals in four years at Parkhead – sealed a reported £15m move to English Premier League club Crystal Palace on a four-year contract, while Ryan Christie joined Bournemouth on a three-year contract following six largely fruitful years in Glasgow’s east end.

Fellow Scotland international Leigh Griffiths moved to Dundee on loan until the end of the season. The 31-year-old has scored more than 100 goals for Celtic since joining from Wolves in January 2014 but has not featured this season under new manager Ange Postecoglou.

The return to Dundee, where he spent 18 months before joining Wolves in 2011, reunites him with his former Livingston and Hibs team-mate James McPake, who is now manager of the Dens Park team.

Celtic also strengthened their defence with a season-long loan deal for Tottenham’s Cameron Carter-Vickers.

On the other side of Glasgow, Rangers sent two players out on loan, with Swiss striker Cedric Itten joining German side Greuther Furth and Croatian defender Nikola Katic heading off to Hajduk Split for the season.

Dundee United signed defender Scott McMann from Hamilton on a three-year deal.

The 25-year-old moved to Tannadice for an undisclosed fee and is considered a natural replacement for left-back Jamie Robson, who was sold to Lincoln earlier in the day.

St Mirren recruited Republic of Ireland Under-21 midfielder Connor Ronan on a season-long loan from Wolves.

The 23-year-old moved to Molineux from Rochdale seven years ago and has had loan spells at Portsmouth, Walsall, Dunajska Streda, Blackpool and Grasshopper.

St Johnstone have taken 30-year-old former Hamilton midfielder Ali Crawford on loan from Bolton until January.

Hibs signed teenage defender Nathan Wood on a season-long loan from Middlesbrough. The 19-year-old will head to Easter Road to join up with his new team-mates next week after international duty with England Under-20s.

Across Edinburgh, Hearts confirmed the signing of Australian midfielder Cammy Devlin on a three-year contract from Newcastle Jets, while Romanian defender Mihai Popescu left Tynecastle to join cinch Championship side Hamilton on a season-long loan and winger Jordan Roberts was allowed to return to Motherwell until January.

The Fir Park club also sealed the signing of 26-year-old Norwegian defender Sondre Solholm Johansen on a three-year contract after agreeing a fee with the his previous club, Mjondalen.

Ross County signed forward Alex Samuel from English League One side Wycombe on a two-year deal. The 25-year-old arrived in Dingwall on the same day that striker Oli Shaw left the Staggies to join Kilmarnock for an undisclosed fee.

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