Olympiakos Summer of Ins and Outs
Olympiakos Summer of Ins and Outs
A Brief Reflection
By Stephen Kountourou
With many other players from the squad linked with moves away, Olympiakos and manager Pedro Martins also need to act fast and make most suitable replacements possible if they want to have any chance at retaining the Greek Super League title and continue to add to the reputation they built in Europe last season. So in this blog I will be having a look at not only the players that are linked with/leaving the club but the potential and definite new signings that might be made this transfer window before the start of the new domestic season.
Players Out
Igor Silva, Seen but not Heard
Rather than starting with the biggest transfer that has already gone through this summer, I'll start with the smallest and probably least known player to leave for pastures new. Brazilian right back Igor Silva who, after a successful loan spell last season with Croatian side Osijek, has signed permanently with the club for a reported fee of 500,000 Euros. Not really much to say about this one to be honest other than both the player and Thrylos were eager for this to happen and it did.
Kostas Tsimikas, The Pride of a Nation
Now from the smallest to potentially the biggest. With rumours beginning after the Europa League exit, then picking up pace and becoming official talks for the transfer of the Greek International, by the start of the next week it was official, Kostas Tsimikas became a Liverpool player. After the last few years of development in the youth ranks and out on loan in Denmark and Holland, the last two years has seen Tsimikas become the best left back in Greece and one of the most sought after players in Europe as a starter at Olympiakos. His hard work to win the ball back in crucial areas and high creative numbers from his crosses in the final third was bound to alert many teams of his quality and none other the European and Premier League Champions Liverpool were the ones in the end to swoop and bring the talented Greek defender to Anfield. Probably the biggest transfer for a Greek player for the last ten years, playing under Jurgen Klopp and one of the biggest sides in the world me much like many other Olympiakos and Greece supporters who have marvelled at him the last few years with him all the best and hope that he too can become a giant of the game.
Omar Elabdellaoui, Goodbye to a True Servant
One of the worst kept secrets of the Greek transfer window, and after both parties failed to reach an agreement for the Norwegians yearly earnings, right back and captain Omar Elabdellaoui left the club after the Europa League exit and six years playing for Thrylos. After arriving in 2014 the 28 year old has almost always been a man staying on the right of the defence and will be a huge loss for his playing style and leadership. With the confirmation of previous rumours that he has signed with Turkish side Galatasaray on a free transfer, Istanbul is the next destination in his career. He leaves Olympiakos having won five Greek SuperLeague titles and one Greek Cup. He will be remembered as one of the greats who pulled on the red and white shirt.
Lazaros Christodoulopoulos Sad but for the Best
After two years in Piraeus and the last few months of injury problems hampering his playing time, Greek veteran and left midfielder Lazaros Chistodoulopoulos mutually agreed to leave the club in the summer, after solid performances the previous two seasons. It is still uncertain as to where Lazaros will end up with firstly news of him heading to Cyprus to either APOEL or Apollon Limassol to possibly north and Thessaloniki with Aris which would make him the first Greek footballer to play for all of the five biggest club in Greece. Wherever Lazaros ends up there is still time for him to see out the twilight years of his career in style.
Dimitris Manos Talented but not given Time
This is one that literally happened in the last 24 hours. Talented Greek Striker Dimitris Manos, who joined Olympiakos in 2018 off the back of scoring 27 goals in 26 games in the second tier with OFI. Other than a late winner against Apollon Smyrni, Manos was not really given the opportunities he deserved at Thrylos, and was sent out on loan the same season to PAS Giannina, where he could not help them stay up in the SuperLeague. In the season just gone, he returned to former club OFI on loan and struggled to reach the heights he had two seasons ago. Upon returning to his parent club in Piraeus the 25 year old was sold to Aris for an undisclosed fee.
Possible Exits
Mady Camara, Possibly Leaving
Having only improved on his debut season, in the campaign just gone, industrious Guinean midfielder Mady Camara, much like he has all season, is unsurprisingly being linked with a move away from Piraeus. After scoring six goals and creating three assists domestically as well as showing his class on the European stage against some of the strongest opposition, it's no shock that one of Olympiakos opponents in the Europa League, that being Arsenal, are the side most recently linked with the 23 year old. The fee that has been reported is £25 million and as hard as it would be to lose Camara this summer, if the source is correct, an offer like that would be too good for the champions to turn down.
Semedo, Apparently Imminent.
If Reports are to be believed, after Olympiakos final match against Wolves in the Europa League, Portuguese defender and stall wart Ruben Semedo travelled to his native home to finalise a deal which would transfer him to either one of Benfica or with Champions Porto this summer. After a difficult couple of years until a revival of his career and talents with this season in Greece a move away after a single season was always on the cards for a player that has found his footing again in the beautiful game. If the rumours of his departure are true then Thrylos need to act fast to make sure they get the best possible deal for themselves and the player, while also bolstering their centre back options in the hope of replacing one of their players of the season.
Players In
Ögmundur Kristinsson, Underrated backup.
The one transfer that Thrylos have made so far this summer, Icelandic international goalkeeper Ögmundur Kristinsson joins the Piraeus side off the back of a surprisingly decent season at AEL Larissa for a fee of 360,000 Euros. the 31 year old kept a solid 11 clean sheets in 32 SuperLeague games this season and while he is going to be a definite back up for Jose Sa, once the Portuguese shot stopper returns from injury, he seems like he could be a trustworthy keeper between the sticks for Thrylos for the first few games of the new season if he is called upon to do so.
Possible additions
Miguel Trauco gone cold
Ever since Kostas Tsimikas move to Liverpool became apparent, there has been a lot of news flying about, linking Peruvian left back as the outgoing Tsimikas replacement. Having played 19 times in the abandoned 19/20 season for French Ligue 1 and his current club Saint Etienne, the 27 year old scored once and assisted twice in his total playing time. According to the news that came out today however there is no apparent deal between Olympiakos and Saint Etienne and Thylos are now looking for other options at left back.
Max Gradel gone colder
This is one that has been linked with a move to Piraeus for the last few months. Ivorian veteran Max Gradel who much like Trauco played last season in Ligue 1 with relegated Toulouse. The left winger scored 4 and assisted 3 in all competitions last season for the french side. With Christodoulopoulos leaving in the last week, the links to Gradel have only strengthened. While initially sceptical with signing another older player despite us having very good young wingers in Randjelovic, Masouras and Cumic to name a few, that should be given more chances, he would be a solid addition to the squad and would probably throw in the SuperLeague especially. Once again however recent news suggests the Gradel is close to signing with Turkish side Sivasspor rather than joining the Greek Champions.
Rafinha, cold but still a possibility
With Olympiakos needing new right backs with the departure of Omar Elabdelaoui and the uncertainty of veteran Vassilis Torisidis on whether he will continue his footballing elsewhere or retire. If the latter is the case, a good, experienced replacement for the Greek international is Brazilian veteran Rafinha. the 34 year old who has been playing his trade in his native country with Flamengo but could be tempted back to the prospect of playing in the Champions League with Thrylos should the Greek Champions qualify this season. It was reported today that Rafinha had turned down Olympiakos offer to join the Greek Champions but now new reports are indicating that a deal between both parties are close. Only time will tell if the deal goes through and Rafinha returns to Europe.
Rafael, a worthy replacement?
One that I am less excited to be linked to if I am totally honest. Brazilian right back Rafael has been linked with a move to Olympiakos on and off for the last month or so. The former Manchester United player has spent the last 5 years at Lyon and while his career did pick up from there, he has most recently played a bit part role in a side that, at the time of writing, has reached the quarter finals of the Champions League. The 30 year old would be a direct replacement for Elabdellaoui but I feel as though Thrylos could do better and younger, for a position that is in dire need to be filled in the squad.
Nacer Chadli, an interesting option
Another one that could replace Christodoulopoulos, Belgian left midfielder would be a really good addition to the side in my opinion. Having had a solid season on loan at Anderlecht from parent club Monaco, the 31 year old scored 8 and assisted 5 in 17 Belgian Pro League matches this season and he was even second top scorer in a side that massively under performed. Considering his age and the links with Gradel cooling in more recent updates, I believe that Olympiakos will go for the Belgian over the Ivorian to try and bolster the left midfield position
Almoez Ali, links create links
This one is a rather left field shout that has been linked with the club recently, but one that could surprise a few should he join the Greek Champions. Qatari striker Almoez Ali who plays for Yussef El Arabi's former club Al Duhail, which is probably where the links to Thrylos has come from, has had a solid campaign in the middle east. The 23 year old has scored 6 and assisted 5 this season in the league and while he would take some time to adapt to European football could a good contributing back up to El Arabi is signed and could replace the 33 year old Moroccan considering he is 10 years younger.
To finish
As said before this truly is a make or break transfer window for Olympiakos. With the likelihood of more departures of this talented squad replacements need to come in thick and fast and be embedded in if Thrylos have any hope of having a campaign as good as they had the previous season. I will also say with on going new and links with new players and signings potentially coming every day, I may miss a couple upon the release of this blog. If and when there is more news and signings coming our way I will definitely make an updated version of this blog in the future.
Just a quick addition, Greek veteran left back Jose Holebas has as of this evening been strongly linked to a return to Thrylos after leaving former club Watford after they were relegated
Hellas Football
Follow @stevekountourou
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