Transfer News and Rumors - Summer 2024

[pash]

EVERY
SINGLE
DAY

 

PAOK Today also saying Koulierakis is likely to move, but not before the Malmo games

[paokarag4]

He has been the one rumoured since January to move on at some stage this summer. Koulierakis leaving would mean we would be in the market for a starting level CB. Kedizora, Ekong(?)/Thymianis as the right sided CBs and Michalidis as the left sided one. I don't think Lucescu trusts Michalidis to be the undisputed starter so I think we would be looking to sign someone. 

I think we all can agree that even if Nasberg remains this season, they don't want him an active part of the rotation. He would be 5th choice and only playing in the case of an injury crisis and or off the bench some cup games. 

[pash]

Nasberg is your quintessential example of a team buying a player just because they're foreign. There are probably 30 Greek CBs that are at least as good as he is. I bet Thymianis is one of them. Fortunately his contract expires next year, so worst case scenario we eat his salary.

My guess is that we'll lose Ekong and Koulierakis soon, but probably will keep Koulierakis until qualifiers are over (if possible). Ekong is only playing right now because Kedziora missed most of preseason (and we know how Lucescu is about that). Once he's "up to speed" (which he probably already is), we should be seeing Kedziora start again.

If we sell Koulierakis, we'll get some serious cash for him. So I agree we'd be in the market for a serious CB. Also wouldn't be surprised if we move forward for at least the playoffs with Michailidis if there is a sale, assuming we beat Malmo. I doubt he'll ever regain his mojo, but if he does, now is the time to show it.

[Tahma]

Gazzetta reporting that we’ve shown interest in 24 year old Slovenian CB, Vanja Drkušic. Around €4mil is the asking price from PFC Sochi.

Edited August 3, 2024 by Tahma

[pash]

Rumors are all over the place with this guy. I think I saw a while back that he was interested in going to Denmark or something, which is where our interest ended. But then this starts up again today, and I see what you are referencing. But then, I see even newer stuff like this:

https://inpaok.com/830046/h-zenit-agorazei-ton-ntrkousits-kai-ton-dinei-daneiko/

Who knows where this will end up. Anyone know if he's any good?

 

-edit- there's also another new name floating around today, as the "anti-Meite." Who knows...

https://www.transfermarkt.us/danilo-barbosa/profil/spieler/273438

Edited August 3, 2024 by pash

[pash]

Ethnikos Achnas, out of Cyprus, apparently wants Panagiotou (our B team CB). I would much rather have him replacing Nasberg (and it was kind of dumb that we didn't call him up at the end of last season when we ran out of CBs). But what can ya do...

InPAOK also reporting that there may be interest in three additional B team players of ours. Kanis, perhaps?

[pash]

PAOK playing hardball and I love it:

https://inpaok.com/830143/i-dipli-protasi-tou-paok-gia-meite/

[Blackhawk]

Apparently Meite is a done deal since Lucescu does not want to consider any other options.

[PAOKSYD]

If we sign miete. 

Then also upgrade Ekong this has been our best transfer period in 6 years. 

Bravo ston Gianni! 

[Bananas]

I was about to comment how I've very surprised we are still chasing Meite.  I mean I would love to have him in the squad.  He would really add some depth.  But given that pre season is kind of over and I'm assuming he's unfit (he's a heavy boy) plus his reticence to sign with us I thought we were done and dusted with Meite. 😁

https://www.sport24.gr/football/o-paok-irthe-se-symfonia-me-ton-soyalio-meite.10360466.html

[paokarag4]

Yeah I doubt we see Meite's best football until the end of September or early October at the earliest. He effectively won't be a starter until the season is well and truly rolling. 

I don't know I feel about him coming after all. I think long term, it will be beneficial, he is a good player and is a nailed on starter when fit and firing. Short-term, he can't and won't help us with arguably our biggest goal of the season, qualifying for the Champions League. 

I expect the reception from fans to be mixed too, at least initially. If he has a poor few games first up I am sure he will receive plenty of feedback. If the team is rolling along and winning then most probably won't notice his inclusion. 

Edited August 5, 2024 by paokarag4

[Bananas]

There were plenty of games last season where Meite was MVP or close to MVP.  Whether or not he gets that form back is up to him.  I'd be surprised if he doesn't but yeah it will take a couple of months.  I'm sure he'll feel a bit sheepish when he walks back into the club rooms but it'll pass and end of the day he's still earning decent money.  The biggest thing people forget is that players (at least normal ones) hate to be on the bench.  They all want to start and I imagine Meite will be the same.

[pash]

I can't imagine he won't recover his form. It's not like he's injured; just three months out of shape. And his out of shape is most certainly not my kind of out of shape.

 

Of more concern to me, is stuff like this:

https://www.sportime.gr/podosfairo/fovate-ton-bampa-o-paok-ke-foulari-gia-aristero-bak/

https://www.sportime.gr/podosfairo/paok-o-loutseskou-den-estile-minima-mono-ston-samata/

 

I don't really know how to parse this. Is Soares that bad? I doubt it. And the first link almost feels like slander against Baba, doesn't it??

[pash]

Most of the recent rumors for Koulierakis are suggesting an 11.5mm transfer fee plus a 3mm bonus paid to PAOK. Very, very respectable numbers for the player. InPAOK predicting that nothing will happen before qualifiers are over. Not sure that the team will be able to kick the can down the road for a full month, personally.

The Drkušic rumor has been as the "anti-Ekong" option, so we would be moving on a second CB if this move would come to fruition.

[pash]

Darelas, from our B team (and product of our academy) is about to be sold to the impossibly-named NEC Nijmegen. We will likely retain a ~20-25% resale rate on the kid, though I'm not sure what the cost of acquisition will actually be. Probably a good move for him.

[Dutch Eagle]

According to Fabrizio Romano PAOK and Al Khalood and Troost-Ekong agreed. Transfer should be completed after the Malmö-matches.

On sofascore Samatta is already marked/mentioned "without a club".

[Athens4]

I think Ekong will leave after this game. Not really any point in having him for the second leg.

[pash]

Precisely; this is Kedziora's position now. And since he's starting, we know where this is heading.

[Athens4]

To be fair he scored the winner against the Croats and helped us get through. All the best to him.

[Blackhawk]

Reports are that Meite turned down our offer of 2+1 years. I think it's time we gave up on him.

[Bananas]

Tomorrow, Ekong is sold.  The day after, Koulierakis.  The day after that Kedziora to get injured.  Taking bets now.

On a more serious note, what's up with Meite.  Definitely time to move on.

[pash]

If the team doesn't move on a replacement immediately, expect some new articles to come out about how Lucescu really wants Meite so they're making another move for him. This is beyond absurd at this point.

[Blackhawk]

Our youngsters from the PAOK youth teams are slowly departing.

After Darelas who signed a 2-year deal with Nijmegen, Panagiotou has signed 1+1 deal with Cypriot team Ethnikos Achnas.

[PaokCT]

Not good that are youngsters are going to those horrible teams. Has development slowed as of late?

[paokarag4]

Come on re, how many stars do you want the youth team to produce? Konstantelias, Koulierakis, Tzimas, Michailidis (2 starters and 2 rotation players part of the championship winning team last season) let's add Tzolis and Koutsias both of whom have been sold for a handsome fee in recent years. That is a good strike by world football standards, excluding maybe Barcelona. 

Look at all the top teams in Europe, how many of them have youth academy products part of their senior squad, let alone getting regular minutes? I would say a similar number or less than what we have. Our academy is good, it's just how it goes with youth footballers. Most end up fizzling out at lower levels. Some end up being solid professionals and if you're lucky you might get a handful of good-very good players who net you a nice profit or become key parts of the first team. 

I didn't add Tsigaras to the above list, but I should've. He played in 24 games across last season and was a contributor.