Stelios Andreou Excluded From Lodz Squad Amid Transfer Talks to Maccabi Tel Aviv

Stelios Andreou, a 24-year-old Cypriot defender linked with a move to Maccabi Tel Aviv, was not included in the Lodz squad for their recent match in the Polish league. The league has already started, and Andreou was absent from the first round where Lodz drew 2-2. Lodz coach Aleksander Vuković explained that discussions about Andreou's departure are ongoing and that the player requested not to play to avoid injury that could jeopardize a potential transfer.

Andreou joined Lodz last summer from Belgian club Charleroi for a transfer fee of 1.3 million euros. In the 2025/26 season, he made 18 league appearances and played in four domestic cup matches. Earlier this year, Belgian club Gent offered a loan deal with a purchase option for Andreou, but Lodz declined the proposal. According to Transfermarkt, Andreou's market value has dropped significantly over the past year, yet he remains a sought-after defender across Europe.

Standing 1.87 meters tall, Andreou is considered a key player for the Cyprus national team, having earned 30 caps. Before his time at Lodz, he spent four years at Charleroi and began his professional career at Olympiakos Nicosia. Maccabi Tel Aviv's most expensive signing last season was Kerwin Andrade for 1.8 million euros, followed by Leo Varela at 1.7 million and Ion Nicolescu at 1.3 million euros. Andreou's potential transfer would add to Maccabi's defensive options ahead of the new season.