Giorgos Giakoumakis has completed a move to Al-Ain in the UAE Pro League.
The ex-Celtic fan favourite has joined the 12th club of his career after a season on loan at PAOK in his native Greece.
There, he linked up with ex-Hoops teammate Greg Taylor, but he returned to Cruz Azul after the club opted against making the move permanent.
Upon his return to the Mexican side, he was instantly put up for sale, and the Emirati champions have now won the race.
Giorgos Giakoumakis back to Celtic: good idea or bad idea?
Giorgos Giakoumakis joins Al-Ain
The club confirmed on X: “Al Ain Club has reached a preliminary agreement with Mexican club Cruz Azul to purchase the contract of Greek striker Georgios Giakoumakis…
“Paving the way for his joining the ranks of the Champions.
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“The player is set to arrive in the coming days to undergo medical examinations to complete the contractual procedures.
“Al Ain Club extends its utmost gratitude to the management of Cruz Azul for their cooperation and professionalism throughout the course of the negotiations.”
Brought to Glasgow by Ange Postecoglou in 2021, Giakoumakis was a consistent source of goals throughout his 18 months in Hoops, despite rarely being first-choice.
Among his best moments were last-minute winners against Dundee and St Johnstone and a Champions League strike against Shakhtar Donetsk.
He scored nine goals in the space of 30 days between February and March 2022.
He joined Atlanta United in MLS for £3.4 million after a contract dispute in January 2023, and the Americans more-than doubled their money on him just a year later.
Loaned back to Greece last season, he scored 15 goals for the Thessaloniki side as they finished third in the league and reached the final of the Greek Cup.
Money isn’t an object… who are you bringing back this summer?
Giorgos Giakoumakis on returning to Celtic
Last summer, Giakoumakis revealed his ambition to return to Celtic.
He said:, “You want to set the fire? I would love to play for Celtic again. I don’t know if that’s a utopia or if it could happen again – but who wouldn’t?
“Even if you don’t know what it feels like to be there, when you’ve already been there, you know exactly what it means.
“So if someone played for Celtic and he was successful and you ask him a couple of years after, ‘Would you play again for Celtic?’ and he tells you no, he’s a stupid guy. He’s so dumb.
“So, yeah, I would love, love, love to wear this jersey again. I don’t know if this circle is done for me, but, yeah, that’s my truth.”
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