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Cisse, Katsouranis go Greek
Greek club Panathinaikos sign Djibril Cisse and Kostas Katsouranis.
Last Modified: 27 Jun 2009 05:38 GMT

Djibril Cisse has signed a four-year contract [GALLO/GETTY]
Greek football club Panathinaikos have made a double bid for Olympique Marseille striker Djibril Cisse and Benfica midfielder Kostas Katsouranis.

No financial details were released but reports said Marseille would receive around 11.15 million dollars for the player, who will earn about 3.5 million year.

"Panathinaikos has reached agreement with Djibril Cisse on a four-year contract," the Greek club announced on their website.

Midfielder Katsouranis, a Euro 2004 winner with Greece, has also signed a four-year deal with coach Henk ten Cate's side.

Quality players

"It's good that quality players are coming to Greece and the standard of the championship is improving," the former AEK Athens player said

"That's what we all want to see. Better entertainment."

Cisse, 27, was given a rapturous reception by more than 2,000 Panathinaikos fans when he arrived at Eleftherios Venizelos airport on Thursday.

The former Liverpool striker, of Ivorian descent, made his name at French club Auxerre before moving to Anfield in 2004.

After three years in the English Premier League Cisse joined Marseille, who loaned him last season to top-flight English club Sunderland where he scored 10 goals in 35 games.

He has 37 caps and nine goals for France.

Katsouranis, renowned for his work-rate and range of passing, joins a strong midfield featuring Brazil's Gilberto Silva, Greek pair Giorgos Karagounis and Sotiris Ninis and Austria captain Andreas Ivanschitz.

Panathinaikos finished third last season, 10 points behind champions Olympiakos Piraeus.

Source:
Agencies
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