Transfer News and Rumors - Summer 2024

[pash]

It's been reported that we are interested in Jonathan Gomez. He may be the replacement for Soares that some sources claim Lucescu wants (sorry, Tsaousis).

Gomez is, interestingly enough, a dual citzen of the US and Mexico, who has played for both national teams in friendlies - I believe (and correct me if I'm wrong), that means he still has not actually officially chosen a nationality for international games? Looks like most of his international experience has been with youth teams in the US. I should note he's also only 20 years old.

Anyway, he's currently in the Real Sociedad B team, who reportedly wants to only loan him out (while PAOK wants to acquire the player permanently).

https://www.transfermarkt.com/jonathan-gomez/profil/spieler/674501

Here are some highlights:

 

[Blackhawk]

The Koulierakis transfer details include a 20% resale option for PAOK if he is sold for over 12 mil by Wolfsburg. Also, Wolfsburg will pay 11.75 mil instantly at the end of this month and not on installments as it is usually done. The remaining 3.25 mil bonuses will be paid by Wolfsburg when Koulierakis reaches certain milestones. Koulierakis will sign for 5 years with Wolfsburg at 1 mil annual salary. If he continues to make progress as a player, I can see him being sold to teams such as Bayern for big buck, so PAOK probably will make few more millions from him.

In other transfer news:

- Ekong sale to the Saudi team should be announced tomorrow
- apparently we will only buy one CB and not two 
- PAOK is talking to Benfica for another Meite loan
- Omonia wants Samatta, but wants him on free transfer. We might be willing to pay him 200 to 300K to break the contract 
- the transfer deadline is August 31 for most of Europe, but in Greece it is September 11 and that migh open few more possibilities

Edited August 20, 2024 by Blackhawk

[pash]

Buying one CB makes sense to me. I figured it was too much to ask for Nasberg to be given the boot. Just get ready for my blow-up in one year where Lucescu (if he's still here) demands he be re-signed and given a raise.

Stunned at the Meite thing, but keep in mind this is coming from a bola, which is also saying Benfica is interested only in offloading him permanently. I fundamentally do not understand how Lucescu could still want this guy. It will be poison for the locker room.

[Dutch Eagle]

On 8/20/2024 at 4:21 PM, pash said:

It's been reported that we are interested in Jonathan Gomez. He may be the replacement for Soares that some sources claim Lucescu wants (sorry, Tsaousis).

Gomez is, interestingly enough, a dual citzen of the US and Mexico, who has played for both national teams in friendlies - I believe (and correct me if I'm wrong), that means he still has not actually officially chosen a nationality for international games? Looks like most of his international experience has been with youth teams in the US. I should note he's also only 20 years old.

Anyway, he's currently in the Real Sociedad B team, who reportedly wants to only loan him out (while PAOK wants to acquire the player permanently).

https://www.transfermarkt.com/jonathan-gomez/profil/spieler/674501

He is heading to Thessaloniki. Looks like we buy him. 

And for his football nationality:

He is 20. So he can still make his mind up. It used to be 1 game played at senior level--> you're stuck. Then played 4 friendlies prior turning 21 --> you're stuck. Currently it is 4 competetive games or 1 at the WC/Euro/Copa America etc. finals prior turning 21 --> you're stuck. 

[pash]

Talichmanidis might be off to join Makedonikos. I'm assuming the one in the SL2 (with Malezas as coach), but there are like 2,000 teams with that name so who knows!

Careers for keepers seem so weird to me. What other position has so little mobility? Especially when teams consider their #2 guy to be so unimportant that he might not even play in a season.

[Blackhawk]

Gomez will cost us 1 mil to purchase from Real Sociedad. I really fail to understand this move. He is young, but not sure if he is worth 1 mil. I have a feeling he will end up like Pereyra, Quagliata, etc. Why not just keep Baba and Soares as LB for this season (and Oto, Tsaousis as back up options) and then worry about it next season when Soares contract expires. Unless there is something we don't know and either Baba and/or Soares will be leaving us before the transfer period ends.

As for Meite, there are rumors that Panathinaikos is talking to Benfica as well about him.

[pash]

Looks like the Tsiggaras move to Atromitos is about to happen, with us retaining a resale rate (I'm assuming we will get actual compensation too).

I've got mixed feelings on this. Sucks when a home grown talent can't take that next step (he certainly looked at times like he could). But there's a reason he ended up invisible last season. Hopefully Garcia can rejuvenate his career (I bet he'll get a lot of game time there, at any rate).

[paokarag4]

He has been a adequate stop gap when we have been short of central mids, but ultimately he doesn't have enough weapons to be a consistent starter at a big club. He isn't a great passer, or driver/dribbler of the ball, he isn't a goal scorer from midfield, he isn't a beast defensively. He works hard but that only gets you so far, unfortunately. 

His level is probably a team that is 5th-8th in Greece pushing for that final European spot. 

I for one am happy he is getting a move, kid has wanted to be a starter coming up to 2 seasons now and a move has been mooted for all that time but Lucescu has wanted to hold onto him for cover. I hope he goes well and makes a good fist of it. 

Edited August 24, 2024 by paokarag4

[pash]

If we want to make it to that "next level" then stop gaps aren't good enough!

Anyway, we have some other stuff going down:

• The Ekong transfer was announced a few days ago (whoohoo!)
• Saudi interest in Samatta seems to have dried up, he'll probably go for free to Cyprus
• Gigot, if we get him, will be in the next week (as according to inPAOK, Marseille has given their out-of-contention players an ultimatum; take that as you will because I don't see how a player can be forced when he's under contract)
• Another option at CB may be Mateusz Wieteska (https://www.transfermarkt.us/mateusz-wieteska/profil/spieler/208172), who plays for Cagliari. Would be his third club in three years.

[pash]

Rumors are intensifying that we'll be buying Colley from Besiktas: https://www.transfermarkt.us/omar-colley/profil/spieler/174733

Personally, I don't think we need two CBs this summer. But if they get him, don't be surprised if they still push for Gigot.

 

-edit- a few hours later:

• Tsiggaras leaving has been announced by PAOK. Good luck to the kid, hopefully he nails down that starting position
• Talichmanidis has been officially loaned (not sold) to Makedonikos
• Multiple other midfielders now rumored:
  • Edoardo Bove from Roma https://www.transfermarkt.us/edoardo-bove/profil/spieler/562049
  • Benjamin Thirovic from Ajax (but also previously Roma) https://www.transfermarkt.us/benjamin-tahirovic/profil/spieler/787907

Edited August 26, 2024 by pash

[pash]

Colley and Bakayoko are both popping up again today as being "done deals" - Colley seems to have some corroboration from Turkish twitter sources, saying that his contract has now been terminated. I wonder if that means we're getting him free? SDNA was saying we would get him on a 1+1 contract.

Not as sure about Bakayoko. Guess we'll know soon.

[Blackhawk]

Both Colley and Bakayoko are coming to Thessaloniki tomorrow to complete the deals. Both will sign 1+1 contracts worth 1.2 mil per season. The +1 year of the contracts will depend on playing 60% of the games this season.

[pash]

I'm glad they didn't get long-term deals (thus falling into the classic Lucescu trap). Hopefully they work out. Bakayoko is....risky IMO. Hopefully he's the type of player Lucescu can make look like a world-beater.

[Athens4]

I have been told of an offer coming in from Saudi for Brandon.

[Blackhawk]

Rafa Soares is being released by PAOK so he can join Famalicao.

[Athens4]

He was an average player who, I suppose, served his purpose as a backup. All the best to him. Happy to see him get one last run out in Ireland.

[pash]

There are some players who are, let's say, "the best position player in a league, excluding the actual contenders." And when you pick them up, you either get someone who is naturally at that level (nothing exceptional), or someone who was being held back by his team and now has a chance to take his game to a new level. I think Soares was the former.

Hopefully Gomez is good. From what I understand he's much more of an offensively-minded guy. Lucescu has been chasing that ever since Matos, so I can see why he'd want a chance to develop someone like that.

[PaokCT]

He's essentially a younger Baba. Well, except he's from Texas....

[pash]

YEEE HAWWW URRYTHIN'S BIGGER IN TEXAS Y'ALL

 

-edit- another quick update - we have (given away?) Charalambos Georgiadis to Nuremberg, retaining some resale percentage. He'll be joining their U23 squad. I believe he was on loan in Italy last season.

Edited August 30, 2024 by pash

[Blackhawk]

I believe he is the son of  G.X. Georgiadis, one of our best right wingers from the past.

[pash]

The same guy who kept getting the job as interim manager?!

[Blackhawk]

That's the one, and also who got us the winner against Aris in the cup game final played at Toumba in 2003 (0:47 in the video).

 

[pash]

Andre Ricardo has been announced as on loan to Chavez in Portugal's second division. By my count that leaves the below players as in limbo:

• Samatta
• Lyratzis
• Tsaousis

Funny enough, if those three leave and we sign the new midfielder and center back, we will be right at Lucescu's sweet spot of 28 players. Funny how that works out.

[Blackhawk]

We are after Pantelis Chatzidiakos to fill the Ekong position on defense. it will be a loan from Cagliari with option to buy.

[Dutch Eagle]

Lefteris Lyratzis is loaned till the end of this season to N.E.C. Nijmegen where he will join Argyris Darelas.