Major water polo transfers 2023

There will be minor changes on this list until the start of the season because confirmations for a few transfers are still missing.

In this overview, Total Waterpolo included the best clubs from the countries that hold the first six places on the LEN Clubs Country Ranking (Italy, Hungary, Spain, Serbia, Greece and Croatia). In addition, you can find information about transfers in other clubs that aim to play important roles in the next season.

Updated August 24

Italy

The reigning Italian and European champion Pro Recco will enter the new season with a similar roster to the one that won all trophies in the previous season. Recco rejuvenated its team a little bit. One of the best young center-forwards of today, Konstantinos Kakaris, moved from Jug to Recco to replace Luka Loncar, who will continue his career at Olympiacos. Francesco Condemi, an Italian senior and U20 national team member, arrived from Ortigia. Apart from Loncar, two players left – veteran Pietro Figlioli went to Savona, and Alessandro Velotto joined Marseille.

Konstatinos Kakaris Photo by K.Vulovic/VPSCG

Brescia suffered significant changes. Several excellent players left the club, including Konstantin Kharkov, although Brescia renewed the contract with him even before the end of the season. Still, Jadran Split was persistent in its intention to bring Kharkov, who returned to Split. One of the reinforcements to Brescia is one of the best American players Max Irving, who came from Telimar, along with Mario Del Basso, the winner of the gold medal at the Universiade.

Ortigia, which returns to the Champions League qualifications, straightened its roster with Japanese goal-getter Yusuke Inaba, American Luca Cupido, Georgia’s Andria Bitadze, and two Italians.

Savona did a few good jobs in the transfer market. Trieste signed the center-forward of the Italian national team Luca Marziali. Bulgarian water polo will have its representative in the Italian League next season. Mikael Metodiev, the center-forward and the captain of the Bulgarian national team, joined Telimar, which will play in the LEN Euro Cup.

Pro Recco

Arrivals: Konstantinos Kakaris (Jug), Francesco Condemi (Ortigia)
Departures: Luka Loncar (Olympiacos), Pietro Figlioli (Savona), Alessandro Velotto (Marseille).

Brescia

Arrivals: Max Irving (Telimar), Francesco Faraglia (Distretti Ecologici Nuoto Roma), Stefano Guerrato (De Akker Bologna) Edoardo Manzi (De Akker Bologna), Mario Del Basso (Telimar).
Departures: Christian Presciutti (retired), Edoardo Di Somma (Ferencvaros) Boris Vapenski (Dinamo Tbilisi), Konstantin Kharkov (Jadran Split), Stefano Luongo (De Akker Bologna).

Ortigia

Arrivals: Luca Cupido (Barcelona), Yusuke Inaba (Trieste), Andria Bitadze (Panionios), Giorgo La Rosa (Catania), Giacomo Calabresi (Plebiscito Padova)
Departures: Francesco Condemi (Pro Recco), Simone Rossi (OSC Budapest), Stefan Vidovic (Sabadell), Petar Velkic (Oradea), Domenico Ruggeiro (Crotone) Javier Gorria Pugga.

Telimar Palermo

Arrivals: Quinn Woodhead (Glyfada), Mikael Metodiev (Ludwigsburg)
Departures: Max Irving (Brescia), Mario Del Basso (Brescia) Agusti Pericas (Terrassa)

Savona

Arrivals: Pietro Figlioli (Pro Recco), Balazs Erdelyi (Vasas), Marko Vavic (Barcelona)
Departures: Federico Panerai (Iren Quinto Genoa), Giacomo Lanzoni (Chavari)

Trieste Pallanuoto

Arrivals: Luca Marziali (Spandau 04), Marin Dasic (Tourcoing), Enrico Caruso (Catania)
Departures: Yusuke Inaba (Ortigia), Francesco Ghiara (Catania).

Hungary

Ferencvaros' giant "transfer bomb" was Dusan Mandic's arrival. The 2021 Total Player Award winner wasn't in Ferencvaros' initial plans for this summer's transfer market. But, after it became evident that Mandic wouldn't continue his career at Novi Beograd (although he had a contract until 2025), the Hungarian champion contacted the Serbian ace, and the agreement between three sides (Ferencvaros, Novi Beograd and Mandic) was reached. Besides Mandic, Ferencvaros' significant reinforcement is one of the best Italian players Edoardo Di Somma, who arrived from Brescia. Ferencvaros has a new coach. Since the last summer, it has been known that Balazs Nyeki, an assistant coach for years, will replace Zsolt Varga, who will focus only on work with the national team in the future.

Dusan Mandic Photo by Slobodan Sandic/VK Novi Beograd

OSC Budapest didn't change its coach. Daniel Varga remains on the bench but will guide almost a new team because the club cut the budget. Three world champions – Krisztian Manhercz, Danial Angyal and Marton Levai- said goodbye to OSC. Several other players left. For the first time after 2020, OSC will have foreigners on the roster. Italian Simone Rossi and Dutch Lars ten Broek arrived. Rossi has a strong connection with Hungary because his father, Marco has been the head coach of the Hungarian national football team since 2018.

Seven players left Vasas, but very good players have reinforced the LEN Euro Cup. Some newcomers are Hungary's goalkeeper Marton Levai and two Olympic champions, Strahinja Rasovic and Nikola Dedovic.

Honved and BVSC compensated for the departures with good new players.

Ferencvaros
Arrivals: head coach Balazs Nyeki (was the assistant coach), Dusan Mandic (Novi Beograd), Edoardo Di Somma (Brescia), Akos Nagy (KSI), Bence Szabo (BVSC)
Departures: head coach Zsolt Varga (the Hungarian national team), Nemanja Ubovic (Vouliagmeni), Viktor Vadovics (Honved), Bence Varga (Miskolc).

OSC Budapest
Arrivals: Simone Rossi (Ortigia), Roland Gaszt (PVSK Pecs), Baksa Benedek (Eger), Lars ten Broek (Polar Bears), Mark Grieszbacher (Eger), Petar Szalai (KSI)
Departures: Krisztian Manhercz, Danial Angyal (both Marseille), Marton Levai, Gergely Burian, Dome Dala (all Vasas), Erik Bundschuh, Erik Csacsovszky (both BVSC)

Honved
Arrivals: Viktor Vadovics (Ferencvaros), Gergely Kardos (Szentes), Gergely Szepfalvi (KSI)
Departures: Norbert Hosnyanszky, Attila Decker (both retired), Adam Manhercz.

Vasas
Arrivals: Strahinja Rasovic (Novi Beograd), Marton Levai (OSC Budapest), Gergely Burian (OSC Budapest), Dome Dala (OSC Budapest), Benedek Batizi (BVSC), Soma Lakatos (Szeged), Nikola Dedovic (Sintez Kazan).
Departures: Branislav Mitrovic (Tourcoing), Balazs Erdelyi (Savona), Drasko Brguljan (Primorac Kotor), Tamas Sedlmayer (Spandau 04), Tamas Mezei (KSI), Roland Simon, Ivan Nagaev.

BVSC
Arrivals: Erik Bundschuh, Erik Csacsovszky (both OSC Budapest), Akos Horvath (Kaposvar).
Departures: Benedek Batizi (Vasas), Bence Szabo (Ferencvaros), Kristof Sziladi (Szeged), Balint Meszaros, Marton Nagy.

Spain

Spanish champion and the third-placed team in the 2023 Champions League, Barceloneta wasn’t very active in the transfer market. Bernat Sanahuja arrived from Sabadell, and two juniors joined the senior team. One of them is Tomas Perrone, who officially became a teammate of his uncle, a legendary Felipe.

Bernat Sanahuja Photo: Total Waterpolo

But there were a lot of changes on the rosters of Sabadell, Barcelona and Terrassa.

Many departed from Sabadell. Still, the club that will have a Champions League wild card for the second season in a row signed two players who recently won bronze with Spain at the World Championships – Blai Mallarach and Alberto Barrosso, three new foreign players – Montenegrin Stefan Vidovic, German Fynn Schuetze and Dutch Guus van Ijperen. The latter arrived a few weeks ago as a replacement for American Jake Ehrhardt, who was announced as Sabadell’s new player, but he won’t come to Spain.

Barcelona reshaped its team, which will be guided by a new head coach – Romanian Andrei Iosep. The new goalkeeper is Miki Linares, who returns to professional water polo after three years.

Barceloneta
Arrivals: Bernat Sanahuja (Sabadell), Tomas Perrone, Unai Lema (both Barceloneta’s junior team)
Departures: Dusan Matkovic (Noisy-le-Sec), Fran Fernandez (retired)

Sabadell
Arrivals: Blai Mallarach (Barcelona), Alberto Barroso (Salerno), Stefan Vidovic (Ortigia), Fynn Schuetze (Waspo 98 Hannover), Oscar Asensio (Barcelona), Guus van IJperen (GZC Donk).
Departures: Bernat Sanahuja (Barceloneta), Sergi Cabanas (Jug Dubrovnik), Lluc Bertran (Barcelona), Ramiro Veich (Barcelona), Dusan Banicevic (Spandau 04), Marcel Teclas (Terrassa), Gerard Gil, Oscar Blasco.

Barcelona
Arrivals: head coach Andrei Iosep, Lluc Bertran (Sabadell), Pau Linares (Mediterrani), Ramiro Veich (Sabadell), Pol Prat (Mediterrani), Paul Daura (Mediterrani), Victor Alegre (Tenerife Echeyde), Victor Andrade (Mataro), Miki Linares (reactivation after a 3-year break), Joan Villamayor (Sant Andreu)
Departures: head coach Victor Gonzalez (Mataro), Blai Mallarach (Sabadell), Marko Vavic (Savona), Luca Cupido (Ortigia), Oscar Asensio (Sabadell),Tim Putt (Camogli), Pau Vilar, Guillem Garcia, Marc Frigola, Robert Lopez (both – the studies in the USA), Oscar Aguirre

Terrassa
Arrivals: Gonzalo Lopez-Escribano (Catalunya), Agusti Pericas (Telimar Palermo), Joe Bruce (Mataro), Marcel Teclas (Sabadell) , Gerard Cuacos (Mataro), Nacho Bargallo (Sant Andreu)
Departures: Fran Sanchez, Ruben de Lera, Víctor Flores and Adria Delgado (all retired).

Serbia

After a turbulent season, there were a lot of departures from Novi Beograd. Six players left, and as many arrived. Three regular members of the Serbian national team left the club - Dusan Mandic, Strahinja, and Vikor Rasovic. Filip Filipovic, who announced retirement a year ago, accepted Novi Beograd’s offer. He decided to prolong his career and joined the Serbian champion. Four players came to Novi Beograd from Radnicki, headed by returnee Milos Cuk. A new foreigner is Italian goalkeeper Francesco De Michelis. 

Filip Filipovic Photo by Laszlo Balogh

Novi Beograd intended to release Nikola Jaksic. But, there was no club willing to pay a high compensation fee. In the end, the story ended in a good way for the club and Serbian water polo. Jaksic stayed at the club to help Novi Beograd achieve its goals.

Crvena Zvezda kept almost all the players who contributed to winning the Serbian Cup and silver in the Serbian League. Still, the best scorer in the club’s history, Veljko Tankosic, didn’t renew the contract. Drasko Gogov returned to the club after more than 15 years.

Radnicki Kragujevac faced a mass departure of players, so it had to be active in the transfer market and sign a few new players. Among them is experienced Miroslav Randjic.

Partizan has a new goalkeeper, Brazilian Joao Pedro Coimbra, who will replace Russian Evgeny Kostrov. The newcomers are the Russian cente-forward Mirziev and young Maltese Cutajar, too.

Sabac rejuvenated its team.

Novi Beograd
Arrivals: Lazar Dobozanov, Milos Cuk, Marko Radulovic, Nikola Lukic (all Radnicki), Filip Filipovic (Olympiacos), Francesco De Michelis (Distretti Ecologici Nuoto Roma)
Departures: Dusan Mandic (Ferencvaros), Strahinja Rasovic (Vasas), Viktor Rasovic (Noisy-le-Sec), Radoslav Filipovic (Oradea) Joao Fernandes Coimbra (Partizan), Nika Shushiashvili (Apollon Smyrnis).

Crvena Zvezda
Arrivals: Drasko Gogov (Noisy-le-Sec), Nikola Bursac (Valis)
Departures: Veljko Tankosic (Dinamo Tbilisi), Bojan Banicevic (Jadran Herceg Novi).

Radnicki Kragujevac
Arrivals: Miroslav Randjic (Sete), Lazar Vickovic (Apollon Smyrnis), Valiko Dadvani, Sandro Adeishvili (both Mladost Zagreb), Kristijan Sulc (Sabac), Jovan Tanasijevic (Nais Nis)
Departures: Milos Cuk, Nikola Lukic, Lazar Dobozanov, Marko Radulovic (all Novi Beograd), Josip Vrlic (Jadran Split), Aleksa Ukropina (Panionios), Nemanja Vico (Primorac), Stefan Brankovic (the studies in the USA).

Partizan
Arrivals: Joao Pedro Coimbra Fernandes (Novi Beograd), Zamir Mirziev (Sintez Kazan), Jayden Cutajar (Sliema Malta)
Departures: Lovro Paparic (Primorje), Evgeniy Kostrov.

Sabac
Arrivals:Aljosa Macic (Primorac), Nenad Dragovic (Budva), Ognjen Tomic (Nais Nis), Veljko Babic, Filip Novakovic (both Sava - Sabac's development team)
Departures: Marko Tubic (Posillipo), Kristijan Sulc (Radnicki), Timur Shaikhutdinov (Spartak Volgograd), Nikola Markovic (Primorac).

Greece

Olympiacos has a new head coach. Croat Hrvoje Koljanin (Vouliagmeni’s former coach), who worked at Jug last season, replaced Igor Milanovic. New center-forwards Luka Loncar (Pro Recco) and Dimitrios Nikolaidis (Vouliagmeni) are valuable reinforcements.

Luka Loncar Photo by Laszlo Balogh/Total Waterpolo

Vouliagmeni, which made a surprise by reaching the Champions League semifinals, faced the departures of several key players and brought in Serbia’s center forward Nemanja Ubovic.

According to the summary of the jobs done in the transfer market, Apollon Smyrnis, which won the first-ever LEN Challenger Cup, will be stronger than in the previous season.

Panionios has been reinforced significantly by experienced players, including center-forward Konstantinos Kakaris and Montenegrin left-handed goal getter Aleksa Ukropina.

Olympiacos
Arrivals: head coach Hrvoje Koljanin (Jug), Dimitrios Nikolaidis, Ioannis Alafragkis (both Vouliagmeni), Luka Loncar (Pro Recco).
Departures: head coach Igor Milanovic, Filip Filipovic (Novi Beograd), Konstantinos Mourikis (Panionios), Christodoulos Kolomvos (ENKA Istanbul)

Vouliagmeni
Arrivals: Nemanja Ubovic (Ferencvaros), Semir Spahic (Chania)
Departures: Dimitrios Nikolaidis, Ioannis Alafragkis (both Olympiacos), Charalampos Troulos (Apollon Smyrnis), Matt Farmer (retired).

Apollon Smyrnis
Arrivals: Nika Shushiashvili (Novi Beograd), Charalambos Troulos (Vouliagmeni), Giannis Tottis (Panathinaikos), Manolis Tsacheilidis (Peristeri).
Departures: Lazar Vickovic (Radnicki), Diyonisis Braimis, Anastasios Myrilos

Panionios
Arrivals: Konstantinos Mourikis, Achileas Grammatikos (both Olympiacos), Aleksa Ukropina (Radnicki), Nikola Moskov (Steaua), Kostas Galanidis (Palaio Faliro).
Departures: Andria Bitadze (Ortigia)

Croatia

New Croatian champion Jadran Split stole the show in the transfer market in the ex-Yu countries and maybe in Europe. The Split-based side has high ambitions and renewed the contract with almost all players. In addition, several great players arrived – three regular members of the Croatian national team, Josip Vrlic, Konstantin Kharkov and Loren Fatovic, then Montenegro’s leftie Djuro Radovic, and defender Matias Biljaka, the European champion with Croatia.

Loren Fatovic (CRO) Photo by Total Waterpolo

Jug Dubrovnik left without Loren Fatovic, the “brain” of the team in the past few seasons, and center Konstantinos Kakaris. They will be replaced by American Daube and Canada’s center Djerkovic . Rino Buric arrived from Jadran, and Spain’s ace Sergi Cabanas left Sabadell to join Jug.

Primorje, the best Croatian club a decade ago, finished 3rd in the national championships and will play in the Champions League qualifications. The Rijeka-based side’s main task this summer was to renew the contracts with almost all players, and it managed to do that. Centre-forward Luka Paparic returned to the club.

Solaris Sibenik has a returnee on the roster – an experienced Antonio Petkovic.

Jadran Split
Arrivals: Josip Vrlic (Radnicki), Loren Fatovic (Jug), Konstantin Kharkov (Brescia), Djuro Radovic (Olympiacos, was on loan in Jadran HN), Matias Biljaka (Jug), Thomas Gruwell (UCLA, USA).
Departures: Rino Buric (Jug), Marin Tomasovic (Spandau 04), Andjelo Setka (retired),Niksa Dobud,.

Jug Dubrovnik
Arrivals: Rino Buric (Jadran Split), Sergi Cabanas (Sabadell), Hannes Daube (Marseille), Bogdan Djerkovic (Canada), Luka Bjelopera (KPK Korcula)
Departures: Loren Fatovic (Jadran Split), Konstantinos Kakaris (Pro Recco)

Primorje Rijeka
Arrivals: Lovro Paparic (Partizan), Jure Beton (Triglav Kranj).
Departures: Petar Muslim (retired)

Mladost
Arrivals: Eugen Koprcina, Luka Bajic (both Anzio Waterpolis), Goran Solje (Reims), Toni Busic (Medvescak)
Departures: Valiko Dadvani, Sandro Adeishvili (both Radnicki Kragujevac), Marko Jelaca (EVK Zaibas).

Solaris Sibenik
Arrivals: Antonio Petkovic (Noisy-le-Sec), Roko Pelicaric (Anzio Waterpolis), Marin Vrdoljak (Pays d’Aix), Duje Akrap, Roko Akrap (both Mornar Split)
Departures: Vice Erak, Luka Rak, Jerko Penava, Karlo Krekovic, Borna Sirovec, Domagoj Butic, Toni Radan, Petar Condic Kadmenovic.

Other countries

As for the clubs from the countries that aren’t among the top six in the LEN’s rankings, it’s necessary to single out Marseille, which will have two reigning world champions on the roster (Krisztian Manhercz and Daniel Angyal) and former world champion Alessandro Velotto.

Krisztian Manhercz (HUN) Photo : Total Waterpolo

Serbia’s Viktor Rasovic returned to the second-best French club Noisy-le-Sec, which is joined by Dusan Matkovic, a member of the national team of Montenegro.

After over a decade of playing in the Hungarian League, Serbia’s goalkeeper Branislav Mitrovic moves to France and will play for Tourcoing.

Montenegrin champion Jadran Herceg Novi confirmed its reinforcements yet. Russians Ivan Nagaev and Dmitri Kholod joined the club, while Bojan Banicevic returned to Herceg Novi.

Jadran’s archrival Primorac composed a very good team. Montenegro’s former captain Drasko Brguljan returned to the club along with Nemanja Vico. However, an experienced coach Ranko Perovic left Primorac.

Marseille (France)
Arrivals: Krisztian Manhercz (OSC Budapest), Daniel Angyal (OSC Budapest), Alessandro Velotto (Pro Recco).
Departures: Uros Cuckovic (retired, will be an assistant coach), Hannes Daube (Jug Dubrovnik), Mathias Mas (Strasbourg)

Noisy-le-Sec (France)
Arrivals: Viktor Rasovic (Novi Beograd), Dusan Matkovic (Barceloneta)
Departures: Drasko Gogov (Crvena Zvezda), Antonio Petkovic (Solaris)

Tourcoing (France)
Arrivals: Branislav Mitrovic (Vasas) Milos Milicic (Posillipo), Silvian Colodrovschi (Oradea), Adam Furman (Sete)
Departures: Marin Dasic (Trieste)

Strasbourg (France)
Arrivals: head coach Yann Clay, Mathias Mas (Marseille)

Spandau (Germany)
Arrivals: Dusan Banicevic (Sabadell), Tamas Sedlmayer (Vasas), Tyler Abramson (Posillipo), Marin Tomasovic (Jadran Split)
Departures: Luca Marziali (Trieste), Roman Shepelev, Marin Restovic, Dmitri Kholod (Jadran Herceg Novi), Zoran Bozic.

Waspo Hannover (Germany)
Arrivals: Nikola Milardovic (PAOK), Kacpier Langiewicz (Kaposvar)
Departures: Aleksandar Radovic (retired), Fynn Schuetze (Sabadell), Ante Corusic.

Dinamo Tbilisi (Georgia)
Arrivals: Boris Vapenski (Brescia), Veljko Tankosic (Crvena Zvezda)

Jadran Herceg Novi (Montenegro)
Arrivals: Ivan Nagaev (Waspo 98 Hannover), Dmitri Kholod (Spandau Berlin), Bojan Banicevic (Crvena Zvezda).
Departures: Djuro Radovic (Jadran Split)

Primorac Kotor (Montenegro)
Arrivals: Drasko Brguljan (Vasas), Nemanja Vico (Radnicki), Nikola Markovic (Sabac), Petar Cetkovic (Budva), head coach Zoran Maslovar (was an assistant coach).
Departures: head coach Ranko Perovic, Aljosa Macic (Sabac), Filip Gardasevic (Oradea), Petar Vujosevic (Camogli),

Oradea (Romania)
Arrivals: Petar Velkic (Ortigia), Radoslav Filipovic (Novi Beograd), Filip Gardasevic (Primorac), David Belenyesi (UVSE).
Departures: Silvian Colodrovschi (Tourcoing), Mateja Asanovic, Marius Tic.