Celtic's Northern Irish coach Brendan Rodgers gestures during a press conference at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, on November 6, 2023, on the eve of their UEFA Champions League Group E football match against Club Atletico de Madrid. (Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP) (Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO/AFP via Getty Images)
The ace, who has scored 21 goals this season, is allegedly interested in signing a contract with the Hoops.
Celtic moved further clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership table over the weekend as their 3-0 drubbing of St Mirren was followed up with a loss by their rivals on Sunday.
The Hoops are now four points ahead of Rangers, who play against Dundee on Wednesday night, in the division and are on course to seal another title.
Brendan Rodgers’ side also face off against Aberdeen in the SFA Cup this weekend as they prepare to fight for a place in the final, which means that the club still have the chance to win two trophies before the end of the season.
Focus will then turn, fully, to the summer transfer window as the Scottish giants look to improve their playing squad. However, they have already reportedly been dealt a huge blow in their pursuit of one target.
Celtic’s chances of signing £17m striker
According to Football Insider, Celtic are set to be blown out of the water in the race to land Panathinaikos centre-forward Fotis Ioannidis, who was also linked with a move to Rangers last year, this summer.
The report claims that the Bhoys are keen on a deal to bring the Greek international to Parkhead later this year to bolster the Northern Irish head coach’s attacking options for the 2024/25 campaign.
Premier League side West Ham United are also interested in the impressive striker, though, as Football Insider states that the Hammers are looking to reach an agreement with the Super League outfit for a fee in the region of £17m.
This is said to be out of Celtic’s price range as they do not have the funds to compete with the English team, who can also offer more in wages to Ioannidis.
Rodgers may now have to look at alternative targets to add more firepower to his squad next season, as West Ham appear to have blown the Hoops away in this particular race.
Fotis Ioannidis’ goalscoring record this season
This news may come as a huge blow for Celtic as Ioannidis’ form so far this term for Panathinaikos suggests that he could have been a terrific addition to the squad.
The 24-year-old marksman has plundered an eye-catching 21 goals and eight assists in 40 appearances in all competitions for the Greek side, including seven goals and two assists in 12 matches in Europe.
Meanwhile, no Celtic player has produced more than 16 goals in all competitions this season, and only two stars – Kyogo Furuhashi and Matt O’Riley – have reached double figures.
| 23/24 season | Fotis Ioannidis (Super League) | Kyogo Furuhashi (Premiership) |
|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 24 | 33 |
| Sofascore rating | 7.51 | 6.92 |
| Goals | 13 | 11 |
| Minutes per goal | 139 | 200 |
| Big chances missed | 9 | 21 |
As you can see in the table above, Ioannidis has significantly outperformed the Japan international in their respective leagues this term, with more goals and less than half as many ‘big chances’ missed in nine fewer matches.
These statistics suggest that the Greek star, who has been hailed as “dangerous” by analyst Ben Mattinson, could have been an excellent addition as a possible upgrade on Kyogo if his form translated over to Scottish football.
That is why this latest update is a blow for the Hoops as their chances of signing him appear to be very slim at this moment in time, amid the interest from West Ham.
