The eight Portuguese from PAOK and the marks they left

In the years after 2000, especially after 10, the Portuguese market has become one of the most attractive for PAOK. While Brazil remains by far the main source of acquisitions for foreign players (23 overall) and Serbia (19) snatches the top spot, the small Iberian country steadily increases its share of the transfer pie and steadily gains ground in the choice hierarchy.

Philippe Soares is now the ninth to be added to a list that now has doubles. After first bringing the Spaniard Sastre from Mallorca, the new sporting director Jose Boto searched his homeland for the footballer who will strengthen the creative part. He first eyed Estoril’s Andre Franco before settling his gaze on Moreirense’s 22-year-old Lusitano midfielder, favoring him as a solution. The offspring quickly became a priority and after the talks of the previous days it is about the winter acquisition of “Dikefalos”.

The stadium will confirm or reject Boto’s choice. However, tradition favors reviewing the positive elements accompanying his brief career in the professional establishment, as the majority of footballers from his home country have not gone unnoticed by Toumba. Or at least they have/leave behind something bigger or smaller that shouldn’t be forgotten. From the first to the last. Let’s remember them according to their position.

Danny Fernandes

holdings: 100

aim: –

The PAOK goalkeeper, who has been the number one goalkeeper for three years, has made three-digit appearances regardless of the coach. He kept 36% of the games he played from September 2004 to April 2008 without conceding a goal and excelled in Bochum, Germany, where he defended for 34 games. That is, before returning to Greece without being back to the previous level of its effectiveness.

Miguel Vitor

holdings: 116

aim: 10

A quick and efficient centre-back who started behind PAOK against Hub Stephens in summer 2014 and joined Vladan Ivic in summer 2017 to play for Hapoel Beer Sheva. He went with 10 goals thanks to his good positions, excellent jump and accuracy every time he was in a favorable position.

Richard Costa

holdings: 37

aim: 1

He was already 33 when he joined PAOK, the current Stopper veteran who retired in the summer of 2020. Before coming to Thessaloniki he had already passed through Porto, Wolfsburg, Lille and Valencia and was also an international with Celesao. During his tenure in Toumba, he distinguished himself above all by his professionalism. Sir came in January 2015 and Sir left a year later when Igor Tudor had him back in the hierarchy and briefly found a team to leave (Granada).

Andre Vierinia

holdings: 259

aim: 48

The modern totem of PAOK history. A footballer who went to the ‘raw’ extreme in the summer of 2008 and was ranked among the best foreigners in black and white almost 14 years later. Although his participations were inevitably diluted at the age of 35, he still wears the leader’s armband and acts as a safety valve in the dressing room. It is speculated that he will leave the action in the season finale, though not leaving Toumba. From the winter of 2012 to the summer of 2017, when he returned, he never forgot what connected him to Dikefalos, and conquering the double in 2019 (after two more cups) confirmed the lime love relationship that binds them to this day.

Sergio Oliveira

holdings: fifteen

aim: 3

He was Porto captain at 30 and just days ago Jose Mourinho’s first winter transfer to bolster Roma axis, even scoring a goal on his debut. In a counter role, three years ago (January 2019) he was just a footballer looking for his way and PAOK became his beacon. In the short time he wore black and white, he was distinguished by the precise ball and composure that distinguished him as a midfielder and, in practice, helped to conquer the two national titles.

Sergio Conceiç .o

holdings: 47

aim: 6

The current Porto coach was one of PAOK’s first fiddles from winter 2007 to autumn 2009, mainly during Fernando Santos. Joining Toumba in the west of his career, he is now 33 and has not competed in any other competition since assuming the post of athletic director from the day he announced the finale of his career. He would leave in February 2010 to make a new life in football as a coach and be one of the best in his homeland today.

Edino da Silva

holdings: 16

aim: 1

The great striker was loaned out by Spain’s Malaga in January 2010. Fernando Santos certainly expected his compatriot to score more than once in the league-winning Olympiakos derby in Faliro. But that was something. He played another full 90 minutes, but since then his performances have been sporadic.

Nelson Oliveira

holdings: 2

aim: 1

Restricted to just August games with the Irish Bohemians for Europa Conference League qualifiers, the 30-year-old quality forward has yet to confirm why Razvan Lucescu insisted on signing him in summer 2020. His return is estimated after mid-February with a goal of being ready for the league playoffs.