It appears that AEK is settling on Babis Lykoiannis for the left side of its defense. The 32-year-old star is a free agent and can be signed immediately by AEK, which had been left with only Stavros Pilios as an option for the position following the departure of James Penrose.
Javier Ribalta had recommended Lykoiannis back in January 2025, however, Matías Almeida had not approved the transfer, unlike Marko Nikolić, who is reported to have given the green light. The player is already in Athens and, in fact, on Monday he watched the Superbet Greek Cup match between Athens Kallithea and AEL Novibet.
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Lykogiannis came up through the Olympiacos youth academy, played briefly for the first team, and then for Levadiakos and Ergotelis, but he has been playing abroad for the past 11 years.
He played for two and a half seasons at Sturm Graz, winning one Cup (2018) and recording 6 goals and 6 assists in 81 appearances. In January of that season, Cagliari signed him for 800,000 euros, and he has been playing in Italy ever since. In three and a half years with the Sardinian club, he recorded 109 appearances, 5 goals, and 7 assists, and in the summer of 2022, he joined Bologna as a free agent. In that jersey, he made 92 appearances, scored 4 goals, and provided 9 assists, winning the Serie A title in 2025 and the Coppa Italia. Last season, he played in just 18 games.
Lykoiannis, who has also been used as a left center back in a three-man defense, stands out for his ability in the attacking midfield, as he has a strong left foot and is skilled in set pieces. These attacking strengths are exactly what AEK was looking for in a player to bolster that position. He also brings a wealth of experience, having played in 171 Serie A matches, as well as 7 Champions League matches and 8 Europa League matches.
*photo source: KYPE
