Cyprus Football Round-Up | Monday 19th May 2025

Apollon Begin Summer Clear-Out
Apollon Limassol have officially commenced their squad rebuild by releasing six players: Bruno Santos, Diego Dorregaray, Carlos Barahona, Giorgos Loizou, Panagiotis Artymatas and Dimitris Dimitriou.

Among those departing is Cyprus international goalkeeper Dimitriou, who made 59 appearances for the club, keeping 20 clean sheets. Dimitriou was part of the Apollon side that won the Cypriot First Division in 2021–22 and lifted the Super Cup in 2022.

Aris Limassol Part Ways with Brown and Urošević
Aris Limassol also announced the departures of two long-serving players. Morgan Brown and Slobodan Urošević are set to leave the club.

Brown, who joined Aris as a 19-year-old, leaves after six seasons and 146 appearances, scoring eight goals. His time at the club spanned their promotion from the Second Division in 2019–20 to their historic league title win in 2022–23 and Europa League group stage campaign.

Anorthosis Facing Critical Hours
Anorthosis Famagusta are in a financial crisis, with second vice-president Ioannis Ioannikiou describing the next 24 hours as “critical” to avoid irreversible sanctions due to transfer embargoes. Speaking to SPORT FM 95 and the show Kane País, Ioannikiou stated that compromises have been reached in one-third of the cases, and the club is pushing to resolve the remaining issues imminently.

He admitted that the situation is dire:

“It’s tragic. We’re constantly appealing to the public. We now rely heavily on season ticket sales and donations from box seats. We need a few hundred thousand euros to move forward.”

Ioannikiou also confirmed that resolution is expected by Tuesday, with failure likely resulting in point deductions next season. While talks with the government over tax debts continue, he acknowledged the immense public support during the club’s fundraising event at Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium, where 6,000–7,000 people attended.

Regarding the search for investors, Ioannikiou clarified:

“There’s an evaluation committee, but no serious investor proposal has yet reached the Board of Directors.”

He confirmed Joaquin Gomez is a leading candidate for the head coach position and emphasised the urgency of lifting the embargo before any new signings can be made. Technical Director Apostolos Makridis is ready to act once clearance is given.

Ioannikiou also addressed the recent arson attack on sporting director Antonio Prieto, reiterating Anorthosis’ full support for Prieto and calling on Cypriot authorities to deliver justice.

Stavros Demosthenous Announces CFA Presidential Bid
Prominent football figure Stavros Demosthenous has declared his candidacy for the presidency of the Cyprus Football Association. In his statement, Demosthenous expressed a vision for reform and a new era in Cypriot football:

“I strongly feel the people’s desire for change. I’m stepping forward with responsibility and determination to build the football future we all dream of.”

His candidacy is expected to generate significant interest ahead of the CFA elections.

Hector Kyprianou Joins Watford
Cyprus international midfielder Hector Kyprianou has completed a move to English Championship side Watford on a free transfer after leaving Peterborough United. The 23-year-old has signed a five-year deal with the Hornets, marking a significant step forward in his career.