Simon Banza is now in Thessaloniki, and his transfer to PAOK is entering its final stages, with the 30-year-old forward expected to undergo the necessary medical exams and then sign his contract with the “black-and-whites.”
The arrival of the French-Congolese forward was delayed by a few hours compared to the original schedule. Banza was supposed to be in Thessaloniki by morning, but a delay in his flight from Abu Dhabi caused him to miss his connecting flight and fail to make the plane from Istanbul. He finally arrived in Greece that evening, though this unexpected turn of events did not affect the substance of the agreement in any way.
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PAOK, Al Jazira, and Banza have agreed on the player’s transfer, and all that remains are the formalities to finalize the deal and issue the official announcement. According to reports, the agreement includes a buyout clause of four million euros, which PAOK will be able to activate next summer.
The experienced forward’s annual salary at PAOK is expected to reach approximately 1.7 million euros, a figure that underscores the importance the Thessaloniki club places on this signing. Banza is coming off a season in which he made 26 appearances for Al-Jazira, scoring 11 goals and providing one assist.
The 30-year-old will not be available for the upcoming derby against Aris, as there isn’t enough time for him to integrate immediately. He is expected, however, to be at Toumba Stadium to get a first taste of the atmosphere of his new team. He will then begin training, with the goal of reaching the desired level of fitness as soon as possible.
PAOK believes that Banza can provide significant scoring solutions and elevate the quality of the attacking line, giving Alessio Lisi another strong option for the rest of the season.
At the same time, it appears that the “Black-and-Whites’” transfer activity isn’t limited to signing the forward. PAOK is also seriously considering the addition of another center back, despite the fact that significant moves have already been made to fill that specific position.
With Hatzidiakos, Elustondo, and Costa now part of the options for the center of the defense, PAOK is evaluating yet another center-back, whom they believe could be an investment for the future as well. In such a scenario, there is also the idea of using Elustondo more on the right side of the defense, forming—along with Kenny—the two options for that specific position.
*photo source: PAOK FC / PAOK FC
