Olympiakos Pireaus has added two more players to its roster as it aims to defend its Greek Super League title.
The Red, who trail league leaders and rivals Panathinaikos, are also hoping their two new signings, Turkish international Colin Kazim-Richards and Northern Ireland goalkeeper Roy Carrol, will help the club in its push for a good run in the Europa League. Transfer deadline day saw Olympiakos add Kazim-Richards to its roster on a six-month loan from Galatasaray. The Reds will pay a fee of $1.07million and reserve an option to acquire the British-born player in the summer for $1.8 million, according to Turkey’s Galatasaray.
Former Manchester United and Northern Ireland goalkeeper Roy Carroll has moved from OFI Crete to Olympiakos after the 34-year-old player signed an 18-month contract with the defending champions. Olympiakos was desperate to find a goalkeeper to replace outgoing Franco Costanzo, who was disappointing in the six months he played for the Piraeus club. He has now been released after agreeing on compensation. Carroll had a decent first half of the Super League with OFI and Olympiakos needed an experienced keeper as a back-up to 22-year-old Balazs Megyeri.
“I am very happy to be coming to such a club,» said Carroll on the Olympiakos official website. It is a great honour for me to play in Greece’s biggest club. I am looking forward to the Europa League games and my own return to European competition.
“I am hoping next year we will be playing in the Champions League, as everybody wants to play at the top level, but in order to be able to do so we must win the league,” said the former Rangers, Wigan, West Ham and Hull City keeper. Former Greece defender Sotiris Kyrgiakos has moved to Premier League club Sunderland on loan from German team Wolfsburg, while defensive midfielder Alexandros Tziolis joined Monaco, which this year competes in the French second division.
