AEK Athens' pursuit of Zambian midfielder Kings Kangwa stalls over Champions League eligibility

AEK Athens is close to signing Zambian midfielder Kings Kangwa from Israeli side Hapoel Be'er Sheva, with reported fees around €3 million plus bonuses. Hapoel, however, wants to use Kangwa in the second‑leg Champions League qualifier against Vikingur, which would render him ineligible for AEK in the upcoming playoffs. The Greek club, urged by coach Marco Nicolaitis to secure at least one new central midfielder for its Dutch pre‑season, has therefore accelerated talks while also scouting alternative targets. Options under consideration include other midfielders such as Robert Luibisch (potential loan to LASK) and Nicolas Elias. AEK must decide quickly whether to finalize Kangwa’s move, accept the eligibility restriction, or pivot to another signing.

The club’s broader European outlook also depends on the Champions League play‑off draw on 3 August, with current data giving AEK about a 35 % chance of being seeded among the stronger sides.