Transfer News And Rumors - Summer 2015

[pash]

Inpaok is saying Maduro has also agreed to terminate his contract, he may be heading to Groningen.

 

They're also claiming that Toivonen has agreed terms with Arnesen, and they're waiting on Rennes to agree as well. Should know in the next day or so.

[Pontos]

If they clear both their wages and agree to have Costa reduce his, I'd assume they have plans to bring in yet more players if not in this transfer window, then the next

[pash]

I kind of figured they'd be slowly bringing in more people across each of the next three or four transfer windows instead of this wholesale cleanout all at once. I guess we'll see, though.

 

Tudor explicitly stated during his press conference today that they need a very good striker that will help them with teams like today's, which will need a lot more effort than normal to "unlock."

[BostonThanatos]

Toivonen's name is still active, even though I've read he signed elsewhere a couple days ago...but we all know how that goes.  

 

We do need a striker though.  One with a different style than Klaus.

[Blackhawk]

Are PAOK people going to be mature enough to understand this decision, or will it be like when Pablo Garcia was not wanted and PAOK people ridiculously lost their s**t?

 

Sadly at least 50% of PAOK fans were overjoyed that this happened. It's the 50% that hated Salpi to no end, with the team suffering as a result. Obviously Salpi can no longer compete on the level that is expected of him by Tudor, so it is probably for the better that he is leaving. Not sure if he has any future in any other teams. Good luck to him.

[Bananas]

We don't really know what's going on behind the scenes, but this decision seems both stupid and disrespectful.  Maybe Salpi pushed for it because he wanted to be a starter, I don't really know.

 

I get that Salpi is past his best, but is PAOK overflowing strikers ?  We have one striker, Klaus, and he hasn't been in form for 6 months.  Other than that, there is no one.  So what would it hurt to have Salpi in the squad as a backup option off the bench ?

 

And you'd think that considering the loyalty he's had to the club, they could have the decency to axe him at the beginning of the season.  There is barely a week left until the transfer season ends.  Timing seems poor.

Edited August 25, 2015 by Bananas

[Blackhawk]

From what I read, Arnesen had a talk with Salpi last week and told him that him and Savvidis want him to stay on the team, but that his playing time will be very limited. Apparently Salpi still wants to compete and be a starter, instead of just sitting around collecting a paycheck, so it was decided that he leaves the team on friendly terms.

 

It would have been nice if the split was planned better. After all he has been a very loyal player, who with limited technical skills managed to have a great football career at PAOK, Panathinaikos and the national team All through hard work and dedication. After all he is PAOK's third all time scorer, and the only PAOK player that won a scoring title in A Ethniki. Also he is the first Greek player that scored in the World Cup.

 

Thank you for your services Dimitri.

[BostonThanatos]

He'll be at Veria by Wednesday.

[Blackhawk]

Most likely scenario.

[Bananas]

From what I read, Arnesen had a talk with Salpi last week and told him that him and Savvidis want him to stay on the team, but that his playing time will be very limited. Apparently Salpi still wants to compete and be a starter, instead of just sitting around collecting a paycheck, so it was decided that he leaves the team on friendly terms.

 

It would have been nice if the split was planned better. After all he has been a very loyal player, who with limited technical skills managed to have a great football career at PAOK, Panathinaikos and the national team All through hard work and dedication. After all he is PAOK's third all time scorer, and the only PAOK player that won a scoring title in A Ethniki. Also he is the first Greek player that scored in the World Cup.

 

Thank you for your services Dimitri.

 

Thanks Blackhawk.  It would be nice if at some point a testimonial/charity match is organised.  If anyone deserves it, it's Salpi.

[pash]

A player that wants to play. Hear that, Samaras?

[BostonThanatos]

The Pereyra situation is almost over. It's a shame, I really liked him as a player.  There's talks about PAO wanting him, I wouldn't let him go to any Greek league team because if he does very well there, you risk looking like an idiot.  At least if you goes out of the country, few will actually keep track of how he does.

[pash]

He's a talented guy, he'll do well even in a bottom-of-the-table team. All the more reason to send him to another league.

[Doxa]

I never get a normal answer in the PAo section so I will ask you guys, why would Pereyra not want to play at PAOK but would say yes to PAO? Doesnt make sense..

[Bananas]

I never get a normal answer in the PAo section so I will ask you guys, why would Pereyra not want to play at PAOK but would say yes to PAO? Doesnt make sense..

Because he wants to play at any club he can right now. And PAO from his perspective isn't a bad option at all. Unfortunately, he got on the wrong side of Tudor when he came late to one of the first training sessions and was fined. The amount was minor, but he refused to apologise and pay the fine. And now, it's too late to fix it. Even if he wants to play for PAOK, Tudor has stated he doesn't want him. Even if Tudor changed his mind, and said he can come back, he'll look like a tool for accepting a player back that has been belligerent for over month now. The situation is as they say, untenable.

Regardless, I'll be surprised if PAOK let him go to PAO.

Edited August 25, 2015 by Bananas

[pash]

I guess it depends on why he wants to leave. The first rumor is that he was in contact with Olympiakos, so logically he'd want to go for a pay day and or to win the championship. But in spite of what our dear friends in the PAO forums believe, Panathinaikos doesn't have a squad that will accomplish any more than we can, and I doubt they could offer him more money (unless they think he's worth breaking the bank over).

 

If he got fed up with the team after our disasterous end to the season, that's one another thing entirely.

[Bananas]

I don't buy the Olympiakos rumours. Pereyra and his manager must know that we would never sell him to Olympiakos. Maybe before Savvidis when we couldn't even afford wages, but it's not like that anymore. PAO realistically would be a side grade for him, but again that isn't going to happen.

I suppose it's possible his manager encouraged him to behave like this to force a transfer, but that only makes sense if he wanted to play outside Greece. Seeing as no team has made a formal enquiry (as far as I know) I think it's purely a case of he cracked the sads when he got fined at the training session. He then dug his heels in, and the rest is history. I'm sure if he could go back and undo the incident, he would.

[pash]

Doesn't help his case that the team then went and bought something like six players who play in his positions. He's the past, I'm quickly getting over it.

 

Lino was at our season opener, and I believe is now working for us as a scout (I saw a headline on twitter but haven't had time to read the article). Solid.

[Bananas]

We are still lacking in the number 10 position. Only really have Pelkas there. So if Pereyra wasn't an idiot, he probably would have played on the weekend just behind the striker.

What do you guys make of these Toivonen rumours ? Do you think he's the real deal ? I've had my fill of "quality" loan players and players that used to be good (Maartens, Maduro etc) that can't do it anymore.

[pash]

Well, he apparently just agreed terms with Sunderland, haha

[Bananas]

Ha! And here I was worrying about the transfer of another has been. Not to worry, we still have ... who do we have ? It's funny, in previous seasons we never had enough wingers, now we are lacking strikers.

[pash]

As for people who can play in that position - I believe Jairo, Rodrigues, and Mistakidis all can play there too (Mistakidis is an AM/second striker). As they as good as Pereyra? Maybe, maybe not. Look on the bright side - more game time for Pelkas.

[Bananas]

Agree, all of those players can play the role if required. It will be interesting to see how all the new signings develop as the year progresses. We need more than anything to find a way to unlock stubborn opposition who defend deep. I'm liking that the squad is young and full of potential.

[pash]

It gives me hope that Tudor acknowledged that the park-the-bus mentality is something they're specifically targeting their next signing towards.

[Blackhawk]

Maduro and Salpi have officially ended their contracts with PAOK. 

 

Toivonen has allegedly signed with Sunderland. Hopefully Arnesen had a plan B. Still 6 days left.