AEK Athens Signs Wolfsburg Midfielder Lubomir Mayer as Kings Kangwa Replacement

Kings Kangwa is set to join Panathinaikos soon, ending lengthy negotiations with AEK Athens, who are preparing to sign his high-profile replacement. AEK plans to acquire Lubomir Mayer, a 28-year-old midfielder from Wolfsburg, for 6 million euros, a fee about 1.5 times higher than what was offered for Kangwa by Hapoel Be'er Sheva. Mayer is expected to sign a four-year contract with the Greek capital club.

Mayer, valued at 8 million euros by Transfermarkt, has a significantly higher market value than Kangwa. He played 30 matches last season for Wolfsburg, scoring 3 goals and providing 5 assists, accumulating 75 appearances, 10 goals, and 11 assists over three years in Germany. Wolfsburg acquired him in 2023 from Rennes for 25 million euros. Earlier in his career, Mayer played for Dinamo Zagreb and Lokomotiva in Croatia.

Internationally, Mayer has 38 caps and 9 goals for the Croatian national team. He featured in recent major tournaments, including the European Championship, and scored against Brazil, though he missed the last World Cup after losing his place when Croatia was relegated. AEK's move for Mayer reflects their ambition to strengthen their squad following Kangwa's departure.