The year in men’s volleyball ended last Friday, but the three main contenders for the title have already moved forward with their plans for the new season.

Olympiacos and Panathinaikos are a step ahead and in the near future we await the corresponding announcements while PAOK are also charging the engines.

Olympiakos: He holds his trunk and strengthens himself

We start with Olympiacos. The champions will continue with Giuliani on the bench who, of course, has long made his suggestions to the management of the team that has been pushing the contacts.

The Red-Whites have chosen to largely keep the same roster that won them the Championship and Challenge Cup. The whereabouts of Travitsa, Pagenk, Koumendakis and Tziavra should be taken for granted.

Stern is close to staying (despite the previous attack from two Italian teams). Negotiations, which are on course, also exist with Hidalgo, where we expect concrete developments immediately.

From then on, Olympiacos will welcome Dimitris Djuric back into their squad. Who will be the main duo with Pagenk and it remains to be seen what happens to Linardos and Papagelopoulos (whether both or one of them stay) or if there is another solution from the Greek market.

Dalakouras and Zoupani remain in the red-whites while moves are expected for the second passer and second libero positions.

Panathinaikos: Fills his roster for the first time

The most important change Panathinaikos will have in their squad next season is the depth it will have in it after many years.

In fact, we’d have to go back to the end of the decade to see that the green roster has so many substantive solutions. Due to the financial problems that have existed since then, as well as the decisions Panathinaikos had made in previous years, they essentially had a core of 7-8 players to rely on all year round. Something that will change next year.

Dimitris Andreopoulos is determined to keep many of the players he had in his squad this year but there will be many changes in the starting XI.

The new passer will be Epp, who will take Jacobsen’s place while behind him will be a talented young Greek passer. Thanasis Protopsaltis will form the winger duo with Kovar, with Andreas Fragos remaining as a third winger and adding an important solution from the bench, while Kostopoulos is also expected to remain in the squad.

In the center Rangel has a contract, Basis has extended, Petraes has been made an offer and Voulkidis will also be taken on.

On the diagonal position, Hernandez’s whereabouts are steadily gaining ground due to different economic data compared to last year’s agreement, while the main libero will be Grigoris Kontostathis, while Dimitris Zisi remains in a more complementary role due to commitments.

PAOK: The burden on the Greeks

Now let’s move on to PAOK. The North’s big head had in the past forged some links with the players he has in his squad which intensified after the Championship ended.

The burden has fallen on the Greeks of the squad. Kokkinakis will remain at Thessaloniki for a year while efforts are made to achieve the same with Alexandros Raptis (although there are prospects of going abroad for the Greek winger).

The move from Voulkidis to Panathinaikos creates new dates. PAOK must either find a Greek central player or play in a formation with two foreign central players and a Greek passer.

In this regard, there was an exploratory contact with Dima Filipov, but so far there is nothing.

More generally, we are expected to have many developments at PAOK on all open fronts in the near future.