52 additions to the PAOK Academy
Faithful to the plan of renewal and the training of young talented football players, the PAOK Academy identified and brought 52 youngsters to Thessaloniki – excluding the transfers made for PAOK B. From U-8 to U-19, and from all over the country, as well as from Cyprus to Italy, through scouting, our training centers and the PAOK Network continue to operate with the aim of adding quality young players to our books.
In the U-19 age category, two forwards were added, Irinaios Papadimitriou (2007), who came from Parma and Savvas Vamvakidis (2008), who came from Panathinaikos.
Four youngsters joined the U-17’s. Two forwards, Odysseas Skanavis (2009), who came from AEK and Nikolaos Hatzymoysis (2010), who came from Cyprus (Aspis Autostegasos Geriou), and two midfielders, Michael Xesternos (2009) from Diamonds Academy and Konstantinos Angelidis (2010), also from Cyprus (Omonia Nicosia).
There were many additions to the U-15’s. The forwards Apostolos Athanasellis (2011, from Doxa Lesvos) and Theodoros Tsiligeridis (2011, from PAS Arsaklis). Three defenders came, Theodoros Stathopoulos (2011, PAS Arsaklis), Dimitris Efstathiadis (2011, Bembides), Konstantinos Skaleris (2011, AS Antimachos Kos) and four midfielders, Stergios Nikolakoudis (2011, Porto SKG), Christos Fardellas (2011, Bembides), Vasilis Skaleris (2011, AS Antimachos Kos), and Dimitris Floros (2011, AO Anatoli Ioannina).
The U-14 team was strengthened by goalkeeper Iordanis Tsilikidis (2012, Ethnikos N. Keramidi), defenders Byron Sypsas (2012, PAS Arsaklis) and Angelos Stampolidis (2012, Alexandros Kilkis), midfielder Dimitris Sideris (2012, Champions of Pefkos) and forwards Christos Ziogas (2012, Giannitsa Sports Academy), Enkel Shkembi (2012, Lamia Football Academy), Vasilios-Raphael Tsanggalidis (2012, Proteas) and Michalis Konstantinidis (2012, Apollon Agios Ioannis).
Our U-13 team has also been refreshed with the following additions: Defenders Saviol Tafa (2013, Iraklis), Athanasios Vlachos (2013, Celeste), Hectoras Manglaris (2013, Bembides), midfielders Andreas Zonios (2013, AO N. Seleukeias), Michael Lionakis (2013, Olympian Katerinis) and forwards Konstantinos Saligkaras (Dimitra Trikala) and Lazaros-Dionysios Ntakopoulos (2013, Ethnikos N. Keramidi).
In the U-12’s, our new squad members are defender Spyros Dikatapanidis (2014, Aiantas Arkadikou Dramas) and midfielders Petros Sirris (2014, Marathonas Kalamarias), and Nikolaos Merianos (2014, Ak. Sfakianakis).
Three additions to the U-11’s: Defenders Spyros Savvidis (2015, PAMA Ag. Athanasios Dramas), Konstantinos Troulialis (2015, Shooters) and striker Georgios Giamalis (2015, Doxa Perivolakiou).
Stefanos Sengergis (2016, AE Pylaias), Angelos Marinos (2016, Ag. Paraskevi Volou), Vasilios Koskeridis (2016, Ath. Ak. Giannitsa), Georgios Tsiotras (2016, AE Filiros), Theodoros Fligos (2016, Ag. Anna) and Anastasios Papadopoulos (2016, Ethnikos Evosmos) joined the U-10’s.
Themistoklis Karypidis (2018, PAOK Diaplasi) was added to our new U-7/8 side, Vasileios Georgopoulos (2018), Dimitrios Gousis (2018), Nestoras Christaras (2018), Apostolos Salpingidis (2018), Georgios Vardalis (2018, PAOK Koufalion), Philippos Tsarouchas (2019, PAOK Diaplasi), Petros Halepis (2018, Panorama Rebirth), Nikolaos Mousiaris (2018, AO Proteas) and Terry Ogunsoto (2018, Joga Bonito).
A total of 14 of these youngsters live in the Academy House, which in the 2025-26 season hosts 50 players, 47 football and three basketball players. They enjoy a stable program, proper nutrition, medical care, psychological support, tutoring, educational programs, buses that transport them to the stadium where they train, and a state-of-the-art gym. But most of all, they enjoy security, stability, and a healthy daily routine. Not at all something that should be taken for granted, especially in these times…
