PAOK has started the procedures for strengthening his defensive line and at the top of the list is a name with a special weight on Basque football. THE Aridge Elustodo is the main objective for the centre of defence, with contacts between the two sides at an advanced stage.
At 32 years, the Basque defender prepares to close a life cycle. Not just a partnership. A whole football life. Because Elusto never played anywhere else. Growed in Real Sociedad, she passed through all grades of her academies and came to become one of the leaders of the first team.
That explains PAOK's persistence. In Toumba, they don't only see an experienced teller. They see a player who can add personality, performances, and leadership to a line that is in a renewal phase. And that's why Elusto is currently the first target for the center of defense.
In San Sebastian his departure was treated almost as a family event. "Aritz, uno de los nuestros", wrote Sosiedad in her farewell tribute. "One of Ours". A phrase that reflects exactly the relationship he had with the club.
Elustodo made his first team debut in 2014 and arrived to record more than 300 entries with the Sociedad jersey. He competes mainly as a central defender, but can with the same comfort cover the right end of the defense, which was often a valuable solution for his coaches.
Elustodo made his first team debut in 2014 and arrived to record more than 300 entries with the Sociedad jersey. He competes mainly as a central defender, but can with the same comfort cover the right end of the defense, which was often a valuable solution for his coaches.
The element that seems to win the people of the "Biceps" is not only the numbers. It's the performances. Elustodo carries experiences from European events, with 30 entries in the Europa League and five in the Champions League, while he was also present in the Real Sociedad match with PAOK in January 2025, even sharing one of the two assists in the Spanish victory.
Last season his participation time was significantly reduced, as he recorded 20 entries and 876 minutes of action. But this does not change the image of a footballer who has spent more than ten years at La Liga's highest level and remains a personality with strong leadership characteristics.
Source: gazzetta. gr