Melbourne Victory bring ex-Real Madrid forward to A-League

Melbourne Victory have lured former Olympiacos and Panathinaikos forward Nikos Vergos to the Isuzu UTE A-League.

The ex-Real Madrid youth team player has signed a two-year deal with last season’s Grand Finalists from Greek Super League side Atromitos ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.

Vergos spent the 2016-17 season at Real Madrid B, playing alongside Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, Uruguay star Federico Valverde, Paris Saint-Germain’s Achraf Hakimi and Sergio Reguilon, while also training alongside the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 28-year-old arrives in Melbourne having scored five goals for Atromitos last season.

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“I’m looking forward to coming to Australia and joining Melbourne Victory,” Vergos said.

“In what I have seen, Melbourne Victory is a club that wants to be competing for trophies every season and that’s something that drives me as a footballer.

“This is an exciting challenge for me that I’m looking forward to and I can’t wait to meet the fans and deliver for them on the pitch at AAMI Park this season.”

Vergos started his professional career at Greek giants Olympiacos, where he was on the books for four years as the powerhouse won two Super League titles and a Greek Cup. He also played against Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League.

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In that time, the former Greece youth international spent time on loan at Elche in Spain and Real Madrid B, scoring five goals for Los Blancos.

After a loan stint at Hungarian outfit Vasas, Vergos signed for another Greek juggernaut Panathinaikos in 2018.

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Vergos, who has represented Greece at U17, U18, U19 and U23 level, was loaned out to Spanish club Hercules before completing a permanent transfer to Greek side Panetolikos in 2020.

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Across his two seasons there, he scored 15 goals in 67 matches and his form earned a move to Austria’s Wolfsberger AC in 2022 prior to landing at Atromitos.

“We’re pleased to have Nikos on board for the next two seasons,” Victory head coach Patrick Kisnorbo said.

“Nikos is a striker who has a sharp eye for goal and we’re looking forward to seeing how he will complement our forward third.

“He has played for some of the biggest clubs in Greece and has spent time at the Real Madrid Academy and we believe he has the technical ability and the right character profile to succeed at Melbourne Victory.”

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