Ambitious Olympiakos sign Karembeu

Greek champions Olympiakos Piraeus FC have boosted their UEFA Champions League squad with the purchase of French international Christian Karembeu from English Premiership club Middlesbrough FC for €3.5m.

Two-year deal
"Christian Karembeu will arrive in Athens shortly," a club statement said. The 30-year-old midfielder has agreed a two-year deal with Olympiakos worth €2.95m, according to reports.

World Cup winner
Karembeu began his career at FC Nantes Atlantique before spells with UC Sampdoria, Real Madrid CF and Middlesbrough and has collected winners' medals from the Champions League, the FIFA 1998 World Cup and EURO 2000™.

More big-name recruits
Olympiakos signed Colombian international Jorge Bermudez last month from Argentina's Club Atlético Boca Juniors, and their president Socrates Kokkalis has promised more big-name recruits in preparation for next season's assault on the Champions League.

Domestic dominance
Despite winning five successive domestic league titles, the Piraeus club have not progressed past the first phase of European football's premier competition since 1999, when they narrowly lost a quarter final to Italian giants Juventus FC.