Cisse completes Pana switch

France striker Djibril Cisse has completed his move to Panathinaikos from Marseille, the Greek club confirmed this afternoon.

The 27-year-old, who spent last season on loan at Sunderland, was welcomed by around 2,500 Panathinaikos fans last night as his arrival at Athens’ Eleftherios Venizelos airport turned into a major media event in itself.

And after talks with Pana president Nikos Pateras, the Frenchman passed his medical and put pen to paper on a four-year contract with the Greens.

Panathinaikos announced the news via a short statement on the club’s website, www.pao.gr, which read: “Panathinaikos announces that it has reached an agreement with Djibril Cisse over a contract for four years.”

Although no financial details have been revealed, Marseille will reportedly receive around €8m euros for Cisse, who will earn approximately €2.5m per year – making him the club’s most highly-paid player ever.

The former Liverpool striker, who is of Ivorian descent, made his name at Auxerre in France before moving to Anfield in 2004. After three years in the Premiership he joined Marseille, who loaned him out to Sunderland last season where he scored 10 goals in 35 league games for the Black Cats.

The Greens are also reportedly close to sealing the transfers of Greece midfielder Kostas Katsouranis from Benfica, Sebastian Leto from Liverpool and Sweden defender Mattias Bjarsmyr from IFK Gothenburg.