Karipidis happy to join Hearts
Thursday, August 3, 2006
Article summary
Heart of Midlothian FC have signed Hristos Karipidis from PAOK FC for a fee reported to be in the region of €300,000, with the defender penning a three-year deal.
Article body
Heart of Midlothian FC have signed Hristos Karipidis from PAOK FC for a fee reported to be in the region of €300,000, with the defender putting pen to paper on a three-year contract.
Greek connection
The 23-year-old, whose new team will play AEK Athens FC in the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round, said Hearts's Greek international full-back Panagiotis Fyssas had been a big influence on his decision to move to Scotland. "He told me a lot about the club, the country, the players and even the weather. He said a move to Hearts would work out very well for a young player like me. It would be great to have the chance to play against a Greek side like AEK – I reckon we could beat them." Karipidis made 63 league appearances for PAOK, scoring two goals.
Other additions
Karipidis will be joined in Edinburgh by Tiago Costa, the 21-year-old Portuguese midfielder who has been training with Hearts after he was released by SL Benfica. The Tynecastle team have also recruited Chile striker Mauricio Pinilla this summer.
