Maccabi Tel Aviv have missed out on a defender they had been quietly tracking, with Sport5 reporting that Cypriot international Stelios Andreou is instead heading to Portuguese side Estoril.
Andreou, a 24-year-old centre-back capable of playing on the right of a back three, was on his way to Portugal for a medical on the day the report broke, with the move being structured as a loan with a purchase option from his current club, Widzew Łódź of Poland.
According to Sport5, Maccabi's recruitment staff had identified Andreou as a potential option to strengthen the club's defensive options and had explored the possibility of bringing him to Bloomfield Stadium. Polish outlet Transfery.info had also reported preliminary contact between the Israeli champions and the player's camp in recent weeks.
That interest has now been overtaken by events. Estoril needed defensive cover after the departures of Boma and Bacher, and coach Vasco Matos moved to secure Andreou's signature ahead of any concrete Israeli offer materializing, Portuguese outlet Record reported.
Andreou joined Widzew Łódź last year from Belgian club Charleroi for a reported €1.3 million and signed a contract running through June 2029, meaning any suitor would have needed to negotiate a fee with the Ekstraklasa club rather than simply agree terms with a free agent.
The defender is a regular for Cyprus, with close to 30 caps and one international goal since making his debut in a 2021 World Cup qualifier against Croatia.
For Maccabi Tel Aviv, the episode is a reminder of the competition Israeli clubs face for mid-tier European defensive talent, with the champions now expected to continue searching elsewhere as they look to bolster the back line before the transfer window closes.
