Santamaria signs, calls the fans "crazy"
Baptiste Santamaria is a PAOK player. The French midfielder signed a contract until 2027, joining after his release from Valencia (1) (4). He did not waste time settling in. "I'm very happy to come to this club and to this city," Santamaria said in his first interview. Then the line that will stick: "They've told me the fans here are crazy" (1) (2).
The 28-year-old fills a gap in midfield as the squad reshapes under Alessio LiSi. Jorge Sánchez is headed to Atlas. Joan Sastre is expected at APOEL. Giorgos Giakoumakis's loan has ended. Santamaria arrives as Taha Ali finalizes his own move to Thessaloniki, the third signing of this window.
He knows what he walked into. "I hope to play soon," Santamaria said (1). With the turnover this summer, he will get that chance fast.
Fan-reaktioner
Early reactions online are warm. Supporters are zeroing in on the "crazy fans" quote, the kind of line that buys goodwill before a player has kicked a ball. The Santamaria signing, paired with Taha Ali's arrival, has the fanbase feeling the squad rebuild is picking up speed. Read more on Reddit
