Greek reinforcements for Portsmouth
Friday, January 28, 2005
Article summary
Goalkeeper Konstantinos Chalkias and midfielder Ioannis Skopelitis have joined Premiership side Portsmouth FC.
Article body
International clearance
The 30-year-old Chalkias, Greece's No2 at UEFA EURO 2004™ and a player the Portsmouth director of football Velimir Zajec worked with at Panathinaikos, has signed for a nominal fee. Meanwhile, the 26-year-old Skopelitis has cost €1.5m and is brought in to replace Amdy Faye, who this week left Fratton Park for Newcastle United FC. The Greek duo hope to get international clearance to play in Portsmouth's FA Cup fourth-round tie against neighbours Southampton FC tomorrow.
'Proven and experienced'
"The players we have announced today are proven and experienced," said Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric. "Konstantinos is a giant of a goalkeeper regarded as one of the top in Greek football and in my book you can never have enough good goalkeepers. Skopelitis is a solid defensive midfield man."
Bulykin close
Portsmouth are also expected to secure the services of FC Dinamo Moskva's €1m-rated Russian international striker Dmitri Bulykin before the transfer window closes, but claim the move is being held up by paperwork.