Greek football club PAOK have completed an agreement to acquire Brazilian footballer Diego Costa on a loan deal from Russian side Krasnodar, reporter Stavros Sountoulidis announced during protothema.gr news program The Football Show by Stoiximan.
The final step remaining before the transfer is officially concluded is establishing the exact arrival date for the player in Thessaloniki, while Sountoulidis added that the club will definitely acquire another striker before the current transfer window closes.
Sountoulidis also evaluated the performance of PAOK in their domestic league match yesterday against Atromitos in Peristeri, noting that Swedish winger Taha Ali and Greek midfielder Dimitris Pelkas were the standout players for the team.
PAOK squad updates and player performances
Sountoulidis highlighted during the broadcast that Taha Ali demonstrated through his display against Atromitos how much the squad had missed his presence in recent European matches.
PAOK, based in Thessaloniki, are one of the most prominent clubs in Northern Greece and compete regularly in both the Greek Super League and European continental competitions, where wide attacking play from wingers like Taha Ali provides essential tactical flexibility.
Addressing the fitness of key personnel on the same program, Sountoulidis provided background on the injury of Giannis Konstantelias, stating that the young playmaker appears to be feeling well a few days after experiencing a very difficult night in PAOK fixture against German club Hamburg.
In another squad movement involving the Thessaloniki outfit, PAOK finalized a contract extension with defender Jonathan Gomez, securing his services until 2028 before agreeing a loan deal to send him to German side Osnabruck.
Olympiacos transfer movements and squad changes
Developments elsewhere in Greek football saw Olympiacos midfielder Christos Mouzakitis officially complete a permanent transfer to English club Hull City, where he will reunite with former team teammate Tzolakis.
Mouzakitis was left out of the Olympiacos squad for their domestic fixture against AEL while representatives from both clubs finalized negotiations in England.
Olympiacos have also moved to strengthen their midfield roster, with Argentine side Racing formally announcing the sale of player Puerta to the Piraeus club, where technical analysts noted he fits the tactical profile favored by head coach Jose Luis Mendilibar.
The Piraeus club, who represent the port city adjacent to Athens, have targeted winger Yassine from French Ligue 1 side Strasbourg as their primary option for wide positions, while Olympiacos supporters received official approval to attend the upcoming away match against Volos at Panthessaliko Stadium.
Panathinaikos and AEK Champions League developments
Capital side Panathinaikos reached a verbal agreement to sign Moroccan midfielder Azzedine Ounahi on a loan arrangement that includes a 25 million euro purchase option, according to reports published by French outlet Footmercato.
Panathinaikos are based in Athens and rank among the most decorated clubs in Greek football history, maintaining long-standing rivalries with both Olympiacos and AEK Athens.
AEK Athens received formal notification that Italian club Como has been granted official stadium licensing to host their upcoming UEFA Champions League fixture against AEK at Como natural home venue.
AEK also began distributing tickets for their European campaign, publishing complete pricing tiers for their League Phase Pass covering all scheduled home matches in the UEFA Champions League.
Superbet Greek Cup and international transfers
In domestic cup competition, the Superbet Greek Cup match between Kalamata and Volos finished in a 2-2 draw after Kalamata built an early 2-0 lead before Volos scored twice in the closing stages to equalize.
In major international transfer news, English Premier League champions Manchester City completed the signing of midfielder Enzo Fernandez for 145 million euros, setting the highest transfer fee recorded during the summer window.
Spanish side Barcelona officially announced the signing of forward Gabriel Jesus, while Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger publicly announced his retirement from international football with the Germany national team.
Midfielder Scott McTominay was diagnosed with a cardiac arrhythmia and is scheduled to undergo surgical intervention, with medical staff projecting a recovery duration of approximately one month.
Other domestic and international sports results
In basketball news from Greece, former NBA player Thanasis Antetokounmpo officially signed a contract with Thessaloniki club Aris for two years with an option for an additional season.
Greek tennis star Maria Sakkari staged a impressive second-round comeback at the US Open in New York, rallying from a set down to defeat Montgomery two sets to one.
In international multi-sport action, the Greek national handball team earned a historic silver medal at the Mediterranean Games after falling to Egypt in the final match.
Additional global news reports published on the wire covered diplomatic developments between Germany and Russia following a hybrid attack at Leipzig airport that prompted Germany to close the Russian consulate in Bonn, statements of solidarity from Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Iranian strikes against American military facilities in Bahrain, Iraq, and Jordan, ongoing court proceedings involving a 23-year-old facing the death penalty in the Charlie Kirk murder case, and the arrest of a wanted Peruvian criminal in Bolivia.
