Newly promoted Polish side Wieczysta Kraków finalised the signing of experienced Greek striker Efthymios Koulouris on Thursday, in a deal that will cost the club over one million euros in its first year, according to vice-president for sports Sławomir Peszko.
Koulouris, who returns to Poland after a year with Saudi Arabian side Al-Ula, has signed a contract with the Krakow club until 2028. The transfer is the biggest in Wieczysta's history, following a busy window that also brought in Bartosz Białek, Tobias Christensen, Ben Lederman, Christopher Lungoyi, Antonio Milić and Mateusz Wieteska.
Wieczysta have gained a reputation in Poland for their rapid ascent through the lower leagues, fueled by significant private investment that allows them to attract top-tier talent.
Hardest deal
Speaking on the Meczyki channel's transfer program, Peszko detailed the complexities of securing the Greek forward, calling it the hardest deal of his executive career.
Two weeks earlier, the former Poland international had publicly dismissed the transfer. He explained that Koulouris was negotiating a new deal in Saudi Arabia and his club had demanded a 1.5 million euro transfer fee, which made the move financially impossible.
However, the situation changed when Koulouris terminated his contract in the Middle East. Peszko said he quickly resumed talks, taking advantage of the player's sudden free agency. He credited the club's financial backer, Wojciech Kwiecień, and executive director Łukasz Ścigalski for making the deal possible.
Financial package
Despite arriving without a transfer fee to his former club, Peszko stressed that the acquisition was a massive expenditure.
He explained that the operation involves a large agent commission, significant signing bonuses and a substantial salary, which will push the club's total outlay past the one million euro mark for the first year alone.
The move required beating out intense late competition. According to Peszko, the player's agent told him he had struck at the perfect moment, as the striker's availability drew immediate interest from the Polish champions, about four other clubs, teams in the United States and his boyhood club PAOK Salonika in Greece.
Peszko admitted the negotiations were so difficult that even after the flights were booked, he remained worried about whether Koulouris and his agent would actually board the plane.
The club expects to receive the player's paperwork from Saudi Arabia in the coming days, and Koulouris is expected to be ready for Wieczysta's upcoming match against local rivals Wisła Kraków.
