Olympiacos have identified Hellas Verona right-back Rafik Belghali as a transfer target following an opening victory in the Greek Super League. The win brought smiles back to the Piraeus club as officials continue working on summer player acquisitions.
Reports in Italy claim the 24-year-old Algerian international is admired by the Red-and-Whites for the right side of their defense, although completing a move will be difficult. Belghali, who developed through the youth academy at Dutch club PSV Eindhoven, has a contract with the Italian Serie A side until 2029 and is open to a potential transfer. However, Hellas Verona will not consider selling him for less than 10 million euros, and several rival clubs are also monitoring his situation. Management in Piraeus must now decide whether to submit a formal offer for the defender.
Olympiacos are currently managing multiple transfer situations, including the potential departure of a central midfielder. While Argentine midfielder Scipioni was viewed as a main candidate for a move away from the club until a few weeks ago, his standing has improved significantly. Scipioni demonstrated his value to manager Jose Luis Mendilibar during the league match against Atromitos.
Although any eventual departure will depend on incoming financial offers, with club leadership unlikely to reject a lucrative proposal outright, the overall sentiment regarding Scipioni is far more positive than it was earlier in the transfer window.
Olympiacos injury concerns
Despite their winning start against Atromitos, Olympiacos face growing concerns over player fitness after another squad member requested a substitution due to physical discomfort. Defender Pirola was forced off during the league opener, following a similar issue that affected Portuguese winger Jota Silva in the second leg of their tie against Dutch side Nijmegen.
Three other Olympiacos players asked to be replaced for physical discomfort during pre-season friendly matches. The recurring pattern has alerted the coaching staff, as persistent injury issues could create significant problems later in the campaign when fixture congestion increases across domestic league and European competitions, regardless of squad depth.
Panathinaikos forward squad depth
Elsewhere in Greek football, Panathinaikos are preparing for the second leg of their European tie against Czech side Hradec Kralove while assessing remaining squad changes. Club officials have not ruled out a surprise player sale, particularly if the Athens side suffer an early exit from European competition.
Even if Panathinaikos secure qualification for the UEFA Conference League group phase, a striker sale remains possible. Manager Nystrup currently has four forward options available, including Levi Garcia, who operates primarily as a winger but plays comfortably as a central striker. The squad also features recent signing Rastoder alongside existing forwards Tetteh and Dessers, creating a crowded frontline that may prompt a departure.
PAOK pursue Tyler Dorsey
In basketball news, attention at Olympiacos BC remains focused on Thomas Walkup, but the future of guard Tyler Dorsey is also undecided. With no contract extension announced between Olympiacos and the player, speculation linking Dorsey to northern Greek rivals PAOK BC continues to intensify.
PAOK backer Mystakidis maintains a strong interest in the international guard, whose contract with Olympiacos runs until 2027. Reports suggest Mystakidis is capable of making a high-value financial offer that would be difficult to decline. While sources in Thessaloniki claim both sides are close to a verbal agreement, those reports remain unconfirmed, though PAOK interest will remain strong as long as Dorsey refrains from signing a renewal with the Piraeus club.
