The Five Stripes add an exciting goalscorer to the squad.
Atlanta United announced that it has signed Greek striker Giorgos Giakoumakis from Scottish club Celtic to a Designated Player contract through the 2026 season.
The total transfer value is reported to be approximately $4.3 million plus $1 million in add-ons according to journalist Tom Bogert. This came after a long and dramatic transfer saga where the player nearly ended up going to Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds.
The 28-year-old forward has had seven starts in 28 appearances for the Hoops this season and racked up a total of nine goals and an assist across all competitions.
In 2021, the Greek was instrumental in Celtic's Premiership title. He bagged nine goals and an assist in 16 appearances, making him the league's top goalscorer.
Before joining the Celts, he spent a season in the Eredivisie with VVV-Venlo during which he scored 29 goals and emerged as the top scorer of the Dutch league despite The Good Old being relegated that season.
Giakoumakis has 11 caps for the Greek national team and has scored two goals for the Ethniki. His last call-up was for a friendly on Nov. 11, 2022, against Hungary in which Giako played no part.
After Josef Martinez's departure, Atlanta United was in dire need of a striker given that the only one remaining on the roster was Jackson Conway. With Giakoumakis' entrance, the club has a solid goalscorer with plenty of European experience and a history of finding the back of the net.
Interestingly enough, Giakoumakis is only the third Greek player to ever sign for an MLS club with the other two being DC United's Taxiarchis Fountas (2019) and Atlanta's Alexandros Tabakis (2017).
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