Mad transfer saga sees top flight fans occupy stadium and confront gun-toting owner over £27m sale of star player

PAOK fans occupied their club’s stadium and demanded to speak to controversial owner Ivan Savvidis after star player Giannis Konstantelias was sold to Borussia Dortmund. Konstantelias, 23, is one of the Greek club’s brightest academy products who went on to register a total of 44 goals and 26 assists in 190 appearances since joining the senior squad in 2021. PAOK fans occupied their stadium after Giannis Konstantelias was sold to Borussia Dortmund Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Furious fans demanded to speak to controversial PAOK owner Ivan Savvidis after Konstantelias’ exit Credit: AP:Associated Press The playmaker led the Salonika outfit to the Super League title as well as the Greek Cup and helped his beloved team reach the quarter-finals of the Conference League two years ago. However, PAOK agreed a near £22million deal with Dortmund, who signed the Greece international on a five-year contract that will see him bag £2.6m per year. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! The agreement between the two sides includes an additional £5m in add-ons while Savvidis’ club also holds a resale value worth 17.5 per cent. Konstantelias looks set to become PAOK’s most expensive sale – provided the above add-ons are triggered. However, the fans were still left enraged as they staged a protest at their home ground of Toumba Stadium on Sunday. SunSport understand about 400 supporters showed up, while some reportedly occupied PAOK’s offices inside the stadium. The latter group also demanded explanations from Savvidis, 67, himself in a last-ditch attempt to convince him not to sell to Dortmund, who also have a close relationship with PAOK rivals Aris. That came after the club’s most successful manager Razvan Lucescu also left this summer after winning two league titles and two Cups in seven years across two stints. Most read in Football BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK The PAOK owner made headlines eight years ago when he invaded the pitch at Toumba Stadium in a crunch clash against rivals AEK Athens after his team was controversially denied a late opener due to an offside call. Savvidis barged in with a gun in his holster and was ultimately slapped with a three-year ban from Greek football stadiums as well as an £87,000 fine. PAOK were docked three points and fined £55,000 due to their owner’s antics which also cost them the title in 2018. Konstantelias was also approached by a fan upon his arrival at Dortmund airport and was put on a video call with the supporters gathered in Toumba to whom he reportedly explained it was his decision to leave. The attacking midfielder came close to departing these past two years but PAOK managed to hold onto him. Konstantelias was linked with a move to Red Bull Salzburg in 2024 but nothing came of it. And Stuttgart came just a whisker away from landing him last year after a £15m deal, which included an extra £2m in add-ons and a 15 per cent resale clause. Savvidis, though, pulled the plug at the eleventh hour after an intense reaction from the fans, with reports even suggesting he told him to return from Salonika airport just before he boarded a flight to Germany. That led to a new contract until 2029 with significantly higher wages and a reported gentlemen’s agreement stating that the owner wouldn’t prevent the player leaving if he wished to. About 400 furious PAOK fans staged a protest after Konstantelias’ departure Credit: Unknown Savvidis made headlines in 2018 when he invaded PAOK’s pitch with a gun in his holster Credit: AFP – Getty Play Dream Team this season! £100,000 in prize money up for grabs in 2026/27 Free to enter Play in Mini Leagues against your mates £60,000 jackpot for the overall winner £1,000 prize for winning Gameweek 1 PLAY DREAM TEAM NOW! Comment now