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Norwich City have confirmed that an agreement is in place to sign Greece international defender Dimitris Giannoulis.
The 25-year-old left-back joins the Canaries initially on loan from PAOK Salonika, with a permanent transfer for an undisclosed fee if the league officials seal the promotion to the Premier League – estimated at £ 6.2million.
PAOK has confirmed that there is a sell clause on the proposed permanent contract.
Giannoulis traveled to England ahead of the weekend to complete his medical internship and finalize, with city officials currently in the process of securing a work permit for the highly regarded defender.
“I’m really happy to have signed. It was a dream to play for an English team and now it’s come true,” he said on the club’s official website. “The last few days have been busy, but I’m here and can’t wait to get on the pitch with my new teammates.
“I will always do my best. I consider myself to be a fast player, both in attack and defense. I love the Norwich style of football and hope to adapt to the way the team plays and that I can help the team get promoted.
The attacking full-back has 11 senior caps for Greece and won the league and cup double for PAOK in 2018/19, which saw him take part in the Champions League qualifying rounds and stages Europa League groups last year.
City head coach Daniel Farke confirmed earlier on Tuesday during his pre-match press call ahead of the midweek championship visit to Bristol City that the move was at an advanced stage .
“We are really happy to have Dimitris with us,” he said later on the club’s official website. “We wanted to bring in someone who doesn’t just help over the next few weeks, but also someone who can help us deliver in the medium and long term.
“At Dimitris, we found the part we were looking for. He’s a good age with a lot of room for improvement.
“He’s already very experienced, with many games in the Greek national team too. He played for a big club in PAOK, where he needed to win every game.
Dimitris Giannoulis will team up with his new Norwich City team-mates once the club secure a work permit for the Greece international
– Credit: Intime.gr/metrosport.gr
“He’s a perfect fit for the way we want to play, with attacking full-backs and a lot of pace. He’s a top character and a good boy and we think we’ve found a really good option. We will give him all the time he needs to settle down and adapt.
“We have to give Stuart Webber a lot of compliments because there were a lot of clubs that wanted to make this deal. This is great news for all the holidays and we are very happy to have Dimitris with us.
Giannoulis, who will wear the number 30 shirt, was the man identified by Webber’s recruiting service as a quality option in the Premier League, as City sought to find a longer-term successor to Jamal Lewis.
The Greek will become the club’s first January transfer window to sign once the Canaries get a work permit.
City remain on the lookout this month for a potential new goalkeeper and center-back, although Farke admitted in his pre-match briefing that there was nothing imminent about the ‘one or the other front.
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