Antonio Colak is destined to leave PAOK amid growing speculation over a move to Rangers as he ‘couldn’t cope’ with the demands of the Greek giants, club legend Michalis Iordanidis tells Metrosport.
19 goals for Rijeka in 2019/20. 26 the year after. A further 22 on loan at Malmo last term.
So, with a track record like that, it’s worth wondering what on earth went wrong for Colak at the Toumba Stadium? It’s not as if his otherwise excellent strike rate paints the picture of a centre-forward prone to a dramatic drop off in quality or confidence.
But for whatever reason, since joining PAOK for a hefty £2.5 million (he is the fourth most expensive signing in their history) the usually free-scoring Croatia international has found the net just twice in the Greek Super Lig. In fact, his overall tally stands at three in 29 games.
And it seems that the thing stopping PAOK from green-lighting Colak’s move to Ibrox is concern over the lack of alternative striking options available to coach Razvan Lucescu. Former Nottingham Forest man Nelson Oliveira is their only other number nine.
Lucescu himself confirmed that an ‘important offer’ had arrived for Colak last month. He wants a replacement brought in, however, before the 28-year-old can board a flight to Glasgow.
Rangers close in on PAOK striker Antonio Colak
“Colak will go,” predicts Iordanidis. “Oliveira cost a lot and I think he will be the first-choice. But there has to be one more, either for the 4-4-2, or as a substitute in case of injury. Colak was expensive but it didn’t work out as he expected. He couldn’t cope.
“Finding a foreign centre-forward who will be better than Oliveira will cost a lot of money. Strikers are in demand in Europe.
“(Super Lig champions) Olympiacos have two or three centre-forwards of equal quality.”
Rangers have reportedly agreed personal terms with Colak already, per Sky Sports. The Premiership runners-up are yet to meet PAOK’s preferred asking price, however.
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