THE Cherries have announced the signing of goalkeeper Christos Mandas on a loan deal for the remainder of the season.
The 24-year-old arrives from Lazio for a loan fee of €1.5million, with an option to buy included in the deal worth £16m, but that is only triggered should he start a set percentage of games before the end of the campaign.
If AFC Bournemouth do not choose to take that option, then an additional €1m will be payable as a loan fee to Lazio.
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Mandas told afcb.co.uk of his excitement for the move: “It’s an amazing feeling to be a part of this club. I feel so proud, it’s a dream for me to come here and I’m really, really happy.
“From the start, when I knew Bournemouth were interested, I knew that I wanted to come here. It feels like a magical atmosphere between the players and the fans, and I like the way the team plays, so it is the right move for me to come here.”
Head of football operations, Tiago Pinto, added: “Christos is a goalkeeper who will add real strength and quality to our squad, and we’re delighted to welcome him on board.
“Having competed in Italy, he has already demonstrated his ability at the highest level with both Lazio and the Greek national team. We’re excited about the impact he can make as he brings a sense of maturity and composure, while also continuing his development as a player.”
Mandas has made 33 appearances for the Italian club, with 18 in Serie A and nine in the Europa League.
His only appearance for Lazio this term has come in the Italian cup, where he started in a 1-0 win over AC Milan, with the Greek international an unused sub in every league game this term.
Prior to joining Lazio in 2023, Mandas progressed through the Atromitos academy and made his senior debut for the Greek side in November 2017.
He stayed at the Athens-based club until 2022, making 33 appearances for them, before joining fellow Greek side OFI.
He was there for a season and a half, before he joined Lazio.
Across his career at those three clubs, he has conceded 102 goals and kept 31 clean sheets in 95 games.
Mandas has played twice for the Greece national team, with one start in friendlies against Malta and Slovakia, having represented his nation at every age group from the U16 level.
He will be the first Cherries player to hail from Greece and will wear the 29 shirt for the club.
The 24-year-old becomes the third signing for Bournemouth this month, after fellow goalkeeper Fraser Forster and midfielder Alex Toth.
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