Transfer News and Rumors - Summer 2025

[paokarag4]

I guess it depends which "knowledgeable" PAOK reporters you listen to. Usually they are quite consistent with their news, like atm the word is Konstantelias wants to stay. 

Last season I distinctly recall all the news being about Konstantelias halfway out the door, until Savvidis stepped in and changed his mind. Within that conversation was a promise of a new, more lucrative deal. I honestly never heard that PAOK was keen to sell him last season (doesn't make it not true of course). 

PAOK in the offseason after winning the title, was stingy. Players didn't come over the haggling over a couple of hundred thousand Euros. Meite, Pelkas, Chatzidiakos/Wieteska, plus signing free agents Lovren and Colley to cover arguably our most important player from last season in Koulierakis. I therefore think it is more likely they promised him a new deal but since they had him locked in anyway, didn't do it to save $. 

Whether they are trying to rewrite history now to save face is another matter. 

[Blackhawk]

And here is the reason why he is not leaving PAOK:

[pash]

That kid has a much better chance at success being born literally anywhere else, but okay.

Anyway, to take stock, here are a list of players who have expiring contracts. This is the ideal situation for a reset, as we all know. This is nearly 40% of the squad, by the way.

• Vieirinha (retired)
• Taison
• Schwab
• Ozdoev
• Meite (loan, unknown buyout)
• Colley
• Otto
• Samatta
• Bakayoko
• Wieteska (loan, buyout of 1.5mm)
• Thomas
• Pavlenka
• Balomenos

There have been rumors of us re-signing Pavlenka, which seems odd considering we just hired the Georgian kid. This must mean Balomenos will go free, though. He played ten times for the B team, but we have four other (and younger) keepers in that squad too.

Would any of you re-sign any of the above? I have no idea what Meite would cost, but I'd guess Lucescu will push for him. I feel he will want to re-sign as many of these guys as possible, actually which is a huge mistake.

I doubt Otto will stay on, as well. The early rumors I heard were not encouraging - that they will be targeting a "free agent" RB as a "plan B." If you look at the current free agent RBs on transfermarkt, there are very slim pickings. There are a gaggle of better options that will be available after June 30th, however. One that is notable to me is Milan Gajic, who is a Serb that may be departing CSKA Moscow (https://www.transfermarkt.com/milan-gajic/profil/spieler/245030). I will also note he has a +1 option on his contract, which would be enacted upon mutual consent.

[PaokCT]

Here's what I would do :

 

• Vieirinha (retired)
• Taison - Let Go
• Schwab - Resign
• Ozdoev - Let go
• Meite - Extend loan / buy
• Colley - Let go
• Otto - Resign (but he will def leave)
• Samatta - Let go
• Bakayoko - Let go
• Wieteska - Extend loan, do not buy
• Thomas - Let go
• Pavlenka - Let go
• Balomenos - Dueces

[pash]

The funny thing about Meite is that there was some "talk" online about how Benfica just really wanted to get rid of his wages. Kind of funny considering how outrageous their buy-out clauses are. If there are no buyers, I could see us taking him on loan (with that wage) through the end of his original contract. It's a much tougher sell when you have to also put millions more down on a player...

I agree with what you say above though. And between Schwab and Ozdoyev, I'm a Schwab guy. Better leader, and just as skillful.

 

-edit- Just saw this, unrelated to the above. Don't want to spam with new posts so adding as an edit.

https://inpaok.com/863404/o-paok-krataei-ton-balnte/

He came in on a one-year contract; I think it's a bit much to expect him to get promoted to the first team, but perhaps we'd see him in the B team. Nice numbers, though - 9 goals and 4 assists in 22 matches. Just on those stats, you'd think the team would want to retain him.

Edited May 12 by pash

[Dutch Eagle]

My thoughts:

Taison - Extend (gazopapou for the youth)

Schwab - Resign

Ozdoev - Let go

Meite - Let go (move on/not again)

Colley - Let go

Otto - Let go (and get some money)

Samatta - Let go

Bakayoko - Let go

Wieteska - Buy (as back-up and sell to the desert the year after)

Thomas - Let go (I'll bring him myself to wherever he wants to go)

Pavlenka - Resign (1st keeper!)

Balomenos - Let go (Tsiftis 3rd keeper)

[Blackhawk]

• Vieirinha (retired)
• Taison ( I would keep him, but explain to him that his playing time will be limited)
• Schwab (I think it's time to thank him for his services)
• Ozdoev  (keep him, but apparently he is looking for his last good contract which we might not offer)
• Meite (would like to sign him at a decent price. If he decides to drag his feet like in the past, just forget it.)
• Colley (gone)
• Otto (try to change his mind and keep him. All depends on what offers he gets from Spain)
• Samatta (gone)
• Bakayoko  (gone)
• Wieteska (not at the current asking price)
• Thomas  (thank you for your services, good luck at you next team)
• Pavlenka (keep him, and if Kotarski leaves make him no. 1)
• Balomenos  (sadly no chance to get any playing time, loan him out)
  
  I think we also need to make some decisions on these players:
   
• Gomez (contract expires June 2026) - loan him
• Lovren (June 2026) - release him from his contract
• Thymianis (June 2027) - loan him
• Pena (June 2028) - give him a chance or loan him
• Soares (June 2026) - another loan or release him from contract
• Murg (June 2026) - release him from his contract
• Tissoudali (June 2026) - give him a chance if Lucescu is not the coach, otherwise loan
• Quagliata (june 2026) - don't believe he is still being paid by PAOK
• Ricardo (June 2026) - end his contract, otherwise loan again
• Lyratzis (June 2026) - release him from the contract

[Soprano76]

Isn’t the situation with Pena so odd? Like why sign the guy and proceed to not play him. 

[pash]

^ Lucescu's classic "he doesn't know what I am looking for" nonsense.

[Blackhawk]

On 5/12/2025 at 7:48 AM, pash said:

• Meite (loan, unknown buyout)

I found out that the buyout is at 1 mil Euro. If I was PAOK I would try to knock it down as much as possible, but if Benfica does not cooperate, just loan him again and he should be free after June 2026. However this needs to be done quickly. If it drags out, forget about him and look somewhere else.

[pash]

A million is peanuts, considering what we spend on players we have no intention of playing...

The articles today are focusing on how Lucescu had his meeting with Savvidis, and how the team is aware of the need for Greek players, as well as reinforcements along every line (defense, midfield, forwards), etc etc. I am sure all of them got the info from the same source, of course.

The team also just hired that Greek guy that was in Madrid's academy system (https://www.sdna.gr/podosfairo/1307001_panagiotis-tsiknas-o-ellinas-analytis-tis-real-madritis-sto-dromo-toy-paok), as an assistant to Karypidis. Vieirinha expected to get a job somewhere in the administration as well.

Team plans to ask Otto to make a decision soon, which of courser he won't because we have no leverage. Pavlenka probably will be re-signed as he seems to be interested in staying.

For the B team - a few Nigerian kids, one of which I believe we spoke about a few days ago: https://inpaok.com/863580/o-paok-v-epimenei-stin-afriki/

[pash]

Lmao of course he wants Taison back, as if you thought this would go anywhere else.

https://inpaok.com/863613/skepseis-gia-paramoni-taison-meite-ston-paok/

Not that I don't love Taison! But people need to make these "hard" decisions, and unfortunately the team is run solely based on vibes and sentimentality

[pash]

God I love the season of rumors.

Seems Florinel Coman does not want to return to Qatar, not does he have a future at Cagliari. Reportedly we tried to get him a while back from Steaua but their owner put a stop to it. Perhaps now is the time? Good age, though he's got two more years on his contract, so probably won't be cheap.

https://www.transfermarkt.us/florinel-coman/profil/spieler/340982

 

Of course, commentators now saying Benfica won't stand in the way of Meite leaving (as if that wasn't clear at this point):

https://inpaok.com/863664/portogalika-mme-i-benfika-den-tha-einai-ebodio-gia-meite/

 

And I'll leave you with yet another piece on the team wanting to get younger - which, again, I'll believe when I see. Maybe the most mind-blowing stat here is that the average age in Europe was only slightly less that of our average age domestically, which is extra funny when you consider how many old players we did not register for Europa League.

https://inpaok.com/863683/o-gerasmenos-paok-kai-o-stochos-tou-kalokairiou/

[pash]

Really a super poor return on Tsiggaras, if this 350k ends up being the case. Basically 140k for us: https://www.metrosport.gr/tosa-dinei-i-pogkon-ston-atromito-gia-ton-tsiggara-to-ofelos-toy-paok-1182271

Granted, Pogon isn't exactly swimming in money. I think there were rumors that Garcia was leaving Atromitos too, so maybe he wants to get out as well.

[Blackhawk]

Now that the coaching situation has been resolved (if there ever was one), let the rumors resume:

- Tanzanian press is reporting that Samatta is negotiating with PAOK for a new contract

- Despodov claiming that he has 2 years left in his contract, but anything can change in 24 hours

- Otto is pretty much history

- we are close to sign a left back as a Baba backup

- Galatasaray is after Kotarski, but have not talked to PAOK about it yet.

[pash]

Weren't the Tanzanians also claiming some team in the premier league wanted Samatta? Guy will be lucky if he rides the bench at Paphos.

[Blackhawk]

And we now have a rumor with the name of the left back that we are allegedly after:

Greg Taylor (Celtic Glasgow)

[pash]

Wow, good age, plays a lot of games, hasn't been convicted of murder. I was going to ask what the catch was, but it seems he's simply about to be a free agent. Just a matter of offering a higher salary than the others.

Here's a short highlight reel:

 

[Dutch Eagle]

And Pavlenka has received an offer from us for a 2 years contract with a salary of 600K each year. Might be more if he accomplises the goals set for bonusses like reaching EL LS.

[PaokCT]

Must be nice to do nothing all year and if the team advances to Europa League League Stage you get a bonus

[Blackhawk]

You are talking about our no. 1 keeper for the next season ...

[pash]

Reports last night that Pavlenka and the club have come to an agreement. I'm guessing we'll see a 2 or 2+1 deal signed, sooner rather than later.

-edit- and a new rumor, this time for RB - Jonjoe Kenny, who plays for Hertha Berlin. Perhaps best known for his time at Schalke. Reportedly Gladbach wants him too, but no way he'd be a starter there.

https://www.transfermarkt.com/jonjoe-kenny/profil/spieler/258883

-edit 2- one more, this time about our offer to Taison. 500k still seems like a lot

https://www.metrosport.gr/ayti-einai-i-protasi-toy-paok-se-taison-1183665

I also saw a few days ago that PAOK is offering Meite 1.2mm, which is not enough to satisfy his demands. Benfica also has to be dealt with, as well.

Edited May 30 by pash

[Blackhawk]

We are very close to announcing Pavlenka for 2 years at 600K per year.

Also, the offer to Taylor is for 3-year contract at 800K per year. If the player agrees, he could be announced early next week.

Another rumor is that we offered Taison a contract for 500K with reduced playing time as compared to previous seasons. 

[pash]

Some rumors lately of both PAOK and AEK (and plenty of other teams) being interested in CB Marcel Ratnik, who plays in the Slovenian league.

https://www.transfermarkt.us/marcel-ratnik/profil/spieler/660544

He is 21 years old, already a captain, and extended his contract in November. It is clear that his team intends to sell, but they have said they don't intend to sell him while they're still qualifying for the Conference League (which is code for, pay us even more if you want him now).

 

-edit-

Talichmanidis may have a suitor in Olympiakos Nicosia, which is where Brandonjic ended up. If he does go there, expect it to be a free with a resale %. They could not possibly afford him otherwise.

Edited May 31 by pash

[pash]

Some more rumors...

 

A young CB from Standard Liege:

https://www.transfermarkt.us/ibe-hautekiet/profil/spieler/565016

 

And a player that will definitely never play for us even if we buy him, Vangelis Gravvanis:

https://www.transfermarkt.us/vangelis-gravanis/profil/spieler/1058810

 

Would AEL even sell to us?

 

-edit- and another rumor, as an "anti-Brandon." Typical nickel and diming by PAOK, if this is true.

https://www.transfermarkt.com/antonio-casas/profil/spieler/537767

Edited June 2 by pash