Kostas Manolas is a player of Sharjah FC. and in addition to the unique announcement made by the club from the United Arab Emirates, there was also a photo concept that the Greek player was certainly not expecting.
Initially, the 31-year-old stopper was introduced as a Greek warrior, wearing the team's flag and a shield with a lion on it, the club's symbol.
عاجل : الشارقة يتعاقد رسميا مع المدافع اليوناني مانولاس ( 31 عام ) قادماً من نادي أولمبياكوس اليوناني في صفقة انتقال بعقد يمتد لموسمين pic.twitter.com/38ugm2gIoV
— الشارقة الرياضية (@SharjahSportsTV) September 23, 2022
It then had to be photographed accordingly. For this reason, he found himself in a stadium, for the needs of the presentation/photo shoot, and a lion was located a short distance from the former Olympiacos player.
The "king of the jungle" may have been calm during the photoshoot, but a sound that was heard seemed to have bothered him and he... protested with a roar that certainly alarmed Manolas.
لاعب الشارقة مانولاس و الاسد 🦁
— مافيها مصخرة 😆 pic.twitter.com/zM6Tk5OnTJ— UAE Sport News 🇦🇪 (@action_news) September 26, 2022
Manolas has been reunited with ex-Giallorossi midfielder Miralem Pjanić following his transfer from Olympiacos to Emirati side Sharjah FC.
The UAE side unveiled Manolas, 31, as their latest transfer coup just a few weeks after they penned Pjanić to a deal after he terminated his contract with Barcelona.
The Greek signed a two-year contract with the club plus an option to extend his deal for an additional season.
The move puts an end to Manolas’ short-lived reunion with Olympiacos. He rejoined his boyhood club in January after spending the previous eight years in Serie A with Roma and Napoli.
He becomes Sharjah’s third high profile signing of the summer along with Pjanić and former Dortmund and Barcelona attacker Paco Alcácer.
Kostas Manolas will collect €4.5 million for the two years he will stay in the UAE.
Manolas is the nephew of the legendary Greek footballer Stelios Manolas and the cousin of Konstantinos Manolas.
The 31-year-old has previously played for Tharsyvoulos, AEK Athens, Olympiacos, Roma and Napoli, as well as the Greek National Team.
Manolas possesses the speed to keep track of smaller, quicker attackers, while also possessing the strength and aggression needed to battle with more physical opponents.
Without the ball, he is both assertive and attentive in his marking of opponents, never neglecting his defensive duties, and always keen for a challenge.
He is also a deceptively quick footballer, given his size, able to sweep up behind a high-line but also having the versatility and discipline to play deeper.
Although he is primarily known as a stopper, he is also a solid passer; indeed, few players better combine the virtues of an old-fashioned centre-half with the modern need to build play from the back. He is also known for his tackling and ability in the air.
The Naxos-born footballer is fluent speaker of Greek, Italian, and English, and also made A.S. Roma Team of the Decade: 2010–2020.
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