Eredivisie club Heracles Almelo are reportedly considering a move for Adelaide United defender Panagiotis Kikianis as new head coach Ernest Faber looks to strengthen his squad in January.
Dutch outlet soccernews.nl reports that Heracles are “looking around Australia” following the €4.5 million (A$7.8m) sale of top scorer Jizz Hornkamp to AZ Alkmaar, and are targeting both a striker and a centre-back.
The report states that Faber views 20-year-old Kikianis, who he previously worked with during his time as Adelaide United technical director, as a “potential asset” for the club.
Despite his age, Kikianis has already made 42 senior appearances since debuting at 18. He has featured in every minute of Adelaide’s A-League matches this season except for last weekend’s 4–0 defeat to Central Coast Mariners, which he missed.
The defender was also part of the Australia Under-20 squad that won the Asian Cup in March, scoring calmly in the penalty shootout victory over Saudi Arabia in the final.
Heracles currently sit 17th in the Eredivisie and have conceded 44 goals in 17 matches, the league’s worst defensive record, with seven of those coming in a heavy defeat to Feyenoord in October.
Since Faber’s appointment, they have conceded seven goals in their last two league games against PSV Eindhoven and Heerenveen.
Faber, who is expected to transition into a technical director role at the end of the season, has pledged to create a pathway between the A-League and the Eredivisie.
Heracles and Adelaide United recently signed a formal partnership, and Kikianis may become the first player to move between the clubs if a deal is completed.
Source: Football360.
