CLVolleyM: Top transfers that make this season even more intriguing
After a thrilling summer, filled with electrifying battles between national teams, the best Volleyball players quickly changed their jerseys to start the club season. The CEV Champions League Volley 2024 - Men is approaching fast with the first games of the 4th Round scheduled on November 22, so to make you ready let's take a look at top transfers, so you won't be surprised by the new club colors represented by the key players.
Starting with the 2023 SuperFinalists... Three-time back-to-back #CLVolleyM champions, Grupa Azoty ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle, aim to defend their title again. The core of the team, still under the guidance of coach Tuomas Sammelvuo, stayed almost the same. Almost, because Poland's middle blocker and one of the heroes of the EuroVolleyM final - Norbert Huber joined the biggest rival of ZAKSA - Jastrzębski Węgiel. The 30-year-old Norwegian Andreas Takvam was signed instead, once #99, occupied previously by Huber, was taken by another newcomer, only 19-year-old Romanian outside hitter Daniel Chitigoi, who already shows his potential in PlusLiga.
Poland's domestic champion, Jastrzębski Węgiel, decided to take way more transfer actions, welcoming seven new players. As mentioned, Norbert Huber, joined them in the position of middle blocker. The 2023 #CLVolleyM runners-up exchanged both their opposites partying ways with Stephan Boyer who was replaced with his French fellowman Jean Patry, once Czech's Jan Hadrava was substituted with Canada's Ryan Sclater. Also, another French Olympic champion, Trevor Clevenot left the club, and Croat Marko Sedlacek jumped in to the squad.
In the upcoming #CLVolleyM season, Asseco Resovia Rzeszów will be the third club from Poland. The bronze medalist of Plusliga, strengthened their squad with a few standout additions, including two French stars - Stephen Boyer, who left Jastrzębski but stayed in Poland, joining the team from Rzeszów and Yacine Louati. Resovia made also a big deal, bringing to their squad Poland’s national team hero - middle blocker Karol Kłos.
The Italian powerhouses also decided for some transfer activities. The 2021 and 2022 runners-up Trentino Itas after Srecko Lisinac's departure, welcomed in their starting six Slovenian star - Jan Kozamernik, who arrived to Trento from Rzeszów. The other classy players who left Trentino are Matey Kaziyski and Donovan Dzavoronok, but the club made it up with the arrival of Kamil Rychlicki and Italian up-and-comer Giulio Magalini. Also, we have to mention the change at the helm of the head coach, as Fabio Soli stepped in replacing Angelo Lorenzetti, who left the club after seven years.
Fewer changes we witnessed in Cucine Lube Civitanova and Gas Sales Daiko Piacenza. Lube, under the guidance of Gianlorenze Blengini, hope to repeat their #CLVolleyM success from 2019, keeping the core of their stellar lineup that was strengthened by Turkish opposite Adis Lagumdzija, who replaced Gabriel Garcia Fernandez and has already proved to be a standout player, capable to score immense number of points. No big movements also in Gas Sales Daiko Piacenza. However the club appointed legendary coach Andrea Anastasi who took over the role after Lorenzo Bernardi and welcomed new middle blocker - Italian Fabio Ricci and Dutch outside spiker Robbert Andringa, who impressed with his performance in the national team.
The Turkish champions Ziraat Ankara, following their transfer actions in the past months, should definitely be considered among the top contenders. Although the team was left by Martin Atanasov and Osmany Juantorena, Ziraat welcomed American superstar Matthew Anderson. Two other outside spikers who arrived in Ankara are Argentinian Luciano Vicentin, who left VfB Friedrichshafen and Cuban Oreol Camejo, who returned to Ankara after one season in Korea.
The Turkish runners-up, Halkbank Ankara, opted to keep faith with most of the players who performed so well last season and made one notable change, replacing Thomas Jaeschke with long-time Canada captain John Perrin.
The #CLVolleyM regulars, German champions, Berlin Recycling Volleys made some changes too. German rising star, Tobias Krick came to Berlin from Modena, making a switch with Anton Brehme. The team from the German capital city signed also an Estonian duo - outside spiker Robert Taht and middle blocker Timo Tammemaa.