Pierre Van Hooijdonk says new Celtic striker Georgios Giakoumakis can score 20 goals in his first season at Parkhead.
But the Dutchman has told Hoops fans he’sNOT a replacement for Odsonne Edouard – because he’s more in the Leigh Griffiths mould.
Van Hooijdonk watched Giakoumakis finish top of the scoring charts in Holland last season with 26 goals for relegated VVV-Venlo.
And he’s convinced that if he gets the right service at Celtic Park, he can get 20-plus this term for Ange Postecoglou’s side.
Giakoumakis was plucked from the Eredivisie as Edouard went to Crystal Palace for £15 million and Griffiths was sent on loan to Dundee.
And having watched the 26-year-old closely in Holland, van Hooijdonk is adamant he can hit the goal trail in Scotland too.
He told Mailsport : “I think he’s capable of scoring 20-plus goals for Celtic this season.
“If you use him properly and play to his strengths, he’s going to get the club a lot of goals. The level of his finishing is top class. If you look at his goals, most of them are really good goals, with a real identity. They’re not all just about power.
“I can understand what he tries to do with his finishes, even when he misses chances.”
Celtic fans will be looking for someone to fill Edouard’s shoes but van Hooijdonk says Giakoumakis isn’t a carbon copy of the Frenchman.
He said: “This boy is different, he’s more of a poacher. He’s more like Griffiths than Edouard.”
