Most of the European water polo leagues have finished and the transfer window has opened.
In the last few days, some of the clubs have revealed their ambitions and confirmed their reinforcements and transfers.
There will be several changes on the benches of the best European clubs this summer.
Zivko Gocic left Szolnok after 11 years at the club (seven as a player and four as a head coach).
After winning the 10th consecutive Greek title with Olympiacos, Theodoros Vlachos departed from the club and will work only with the national team. Vouliagmeni, the 2nd-best Greek club, left without a head coach, too. Hrvoje Koljanin, who coached Vouliagmeni for four years, didn’t renew the contract.
Even before the end of the German League, it was confirmed that Petar Kovacevic, who spent eight years at Spandau would leave the Berlin-based club and move to Tourcoing. Spandau contacted Gocic (that was confirmed by Gocic himself). Still, the only non-Hungarian who won the Hungarian Championship as a head coach won’t move to Berlin.
Spandau has appointed a new coach. Greek Athanasios Kechagias will succeed Kovacevic. Kechagias coached several clubs, then Greece’s male and female national team, Australia (women). Since 2019, he has been Romania’s head coach. He will guide Romania at the European Championships in Split in late August and early September. After the Europeans, Kechagias will join Spandau. Interestingly, Romania will play against Germany in the group stage in Split.
Spandau and Greek center-forward Dimitris Nikolaidis agreed to terminate the contract.
Vasas, which won bronze in the Hungarian League, has presented its first reinforcement. Akos Konarik, who played for Szolnok in the previous two years. He returns to Vasas, the club he played for in junior and youth age. After leaving Vasas, he played for UVSE and Szolnok. Konarik won the Hungarian League and the LEN Euro Cup with Szolnok last year. Vasas negotiates with Russian Ivan Nagaev (Waspo98 Hannover), who is targeted by Marseille, too. Vasas confirmed that two players had left the club – Viktor Vadovics (probably Ferencvaros) and Kristof Szatmari. Montenegrin Drasko Brguljan was close to exit doors, but, as things stand now, head coach Slobodan Nikic will likely count on Brguljan in the next season.
As for Hannover, Croat Andrija Basic, who will finish the season with Telimar Palermo this evening, will come to Hannover. Primorje Rijeka confirmed that 2012 Olympic champion Petar Muslim (Croatia) and double silver medalist Darko Brguljan (Montenegro) would join the club after they end the season with Hannover.
The first confirmations about transfers in Serbia have arrived from Kragujevac. Milos Milicic and two center-forwards Nebojsa Toholj and Russian Nikita Krug departed from Radnicki. But, the Kragujevac-based side brings an experienced center. Nemanja Vico, a member of the Serbian national team, will sign a contract with Radnicki. Vico, the winner of the European gold in Barcelona in 2018, played for Primorac, Partizan, Vouliagmeni, and Trieste. Last summer, he returned to Partizan and won 4th place in the Serbian League. Radnicki will rejuvenate its roster, but with the exception of the three mentioned, key players stay at the club, including Milos Cuk, Josip Vrlic, Nikola Lukic, Lazar Dobozanov, Marko Radulovic, etc.
In the following days, especially after the F8 in Belgrade, there will be more official (and unofficial) information about transfers.
All news about transfers you can find HERE
