The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Griffiths goes out on loan on a busy day at Celtic
Joao Felipe Jota, Giorgos Giakoumakis and Cameron CarterVickers 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.
The 26-year-old former AEK Athens striker told Celtic’s official website: “Celtic is one of the world’s great football clubs with the best fans around.
“It is a club I have admired for so long and it will now be an honour to wear this famous jersey.”
US defender CarterVickers joins from Tottenham on a seasonlong loan deal with an option to buy.
He told Celtic’s website: Cameron said: “I am absolutely delighted to agree this move to Celtic, it is a really exciting opportunity for me and I am desperate to meet my new team-mates and get going for the season ahead.”
As the three 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 threeyear 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.
Griffiths told the club website: “I’ve always had fond memories of the club.
“I had a great 18 months here and it’s a place I still came back to regularly if I got the chance. To come back here and play will be great for me.
“I’ve known James half my life, never mind my career. I’ve known him my full career.
“He’s been my captain twice at Livingston and Hibs and now he is going to be coaching me. I can’t wait to start work under him and get going.
“I’ve been training well with Celtic, so I’m ready to go whenever called upon.
“It’s international break, so it’s even better for me to get even more training under my belt, see how the lads work, see how the gaffer works and be ready for Livingston next week.”
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 threeyear 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.
McMann told United’s website: “When I spoke to the gaffer, he laid out the ambitions for the club and the plans he had for me at the club. I was excited by that and it was a no-brainer for me moving forward.”
St Mirren recruited Republic of Ireland Under21 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.
They also completed the season-long loan signing of Brighton central defender Lars Dendoncker.
Departing McDiarmid Park were double-cupwinner Jason Kerr, who joined Wigan Athletic on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee, and star man Ali McCann, who also moved to England – joining Preston North End.
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.
Hibs head coach Jack Ross told the club’s website: “It’s been no secret that we wanted to strengthen our defensive area and he will certainly do that; he’s a really good player with a big future ahead of him.”
Wood said: “I got a good feeling straight away about the plans, the squad, the facilities and the fans.”
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 seasonlong 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.