ITALY
Brenden-Sander
The Italian men’s volleyball SuperLega side Calzedonia Verona like players from Sander family. After giving Taylor Sander a chance to start his professional career with them in 2014 (played in the club until 2016), Calzedonia Verona did the same to his younger brother Brenden. A 22-year-old Brigham Young University graduate, for which volleyball team he made 1,033 kills, 344 digs, 221 blocks, and 45 assists as an outside hitter in the last four years, has signed a one-year contract with Verona with the option for renewal.
Bunge Ravenna formalized the signing of their most prominent reinforcement in the summer transfer window so far. A 29-year-old Belgian middle blocker Pieter Verhees will spend his seventh SuperLega season in a row. During previous six seasons, he wore jerseys of four clubs in Italy. Last season, while he was defending the colors of Tonno Callipo Calabria Vibo Valentia, Verhees made 1.8 kill blocks in average.
TURKEY
Ulas-Kiyak
The Turkish Efeler Ligi team Fenerbahçe tied veteran setter. A 36-year-old Ulaş Kıyak signed with Fenerbahçe for the 2018/19. A two-time Efeler Ligi Best Setter, also a former Turkey national team member, competed for nearly all major clubs in the country so far. In the last two seasons, Ulaş has worn the jersey of Ziraat Bankası.
Just like last season, İstanbul BBSK will continue to rely the most on local players. In the 2017/18, the Efeleri Ligi bronze medalists had only one foreigner in the roster. A similar situation might occur in the next season in which they will compete in the CEV Champions League as İstanbul BBSK strengthened their squad with two Turkish players: Metin Toy from Fenerbahçe for which he played 7 seasons in a row and Gökhan Gökgöz from Arkas Spor for which he played 5 seasons in a row.
POLAND
Besides announcing one major contract extension and one signing, the Polish Plus Liga club Trefl Gdańsk revealed parting ways with an outside hitter Artur Szalpuk. First, only speculations on his departure appeared in media. Now, he officially left Trefl after defending their colors for one season in which he made 43% reception in 36 league games.
RUSSIA
Aleksey-Spiridonov
In addition to a two-time FIVB World League winner and Most Valuable Player, and one-time CEV European Championship winner Earvin Ngapeth, Vladimir Alekno, the coach of the CEV Champions League titleholders Zenit Kazan, confirmed contracting Aleksey Spiridonov who will return to the club after two seasons which he spent in Enisey Krasnoyarsk. Two more players also arrived in the Russian powerhouse: the Ukrainian Vadim Likhosherstov from Fakel Novy Urengoy and prospect Andrey Surmachevskiy from Zenit Kazan’s farm team Akademiya-Kazan.
See our sections – Transfers – Done Deals and Transfers – Rumors.
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