Ferencváros striker Barnabás Varga is already in Athens, where he is set to undergo his medical examination and finalize a move to AEK Athens, the 13-time Greek champions and current leaders of the Super League.
Varga was one of Hungary’s few bright spots during their unsuccessful 2025 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, scoring five goals in five matches. He also impressed in European competition, finding the net four times in six Europa League games for Ferencváros during the league phase. The 31-year-old forward is particularly dangerous in the air: the majority of his goals in both World Cup qualifying and the Europa League came from headers. Domestically, he has continued his strong form, registering 10 goals in 17 league appearances for Fradi this season.
Reports from Hungarian and Greek media indicate that AEK Athens will pay €4.5 million for the striker and have offered him a three-and-a-half-year contract worth approximately €1 million per year. Given Varga’s age, both the transfer fee and the length of the deal are considered exceptional.
AEK are managed by Marko Nikolić, who is familiar with Hungarian football after serving as head coach of FC Fehérvár between 2017 and 2019.
From a sporting perspective, the move represents a clear step forward. The Greek Super League ranks significantly higher than Hungary’s top division in the UEFA coefficient rankings, sitting 12th compared to Hungary’s 23rd place. The league’s competitiveness was highlighted in 2024, when Olympiacos won the UEFA Conference League. Olympiacos is currently just one point behind AEK in the Greek title race.
During his time with Ferencváros, Varga won two Hungarian league titles in 2024 and 2025. Individually, he claimed the Hungarian Golden Boot in consecutive seasons, first with Paks in 2023 and then with Ferencváros in 2024. At the international level, he has earned 28 caps for Hungary, scoring 13 goals, and was part of the national squad at EURO 2024.
Leave a Reply