Peter Olayinka has completed a permanent move to APOEL Nicosia from free agency, signing as a left winger for the Cypriot club after several months without a team. The 30‑year‑old Nigeria international joins APOEL on a free transfer, with the deal formally registered to begin on 2026‑02‑07. No transfer fee is involved in the move, while his current market value stands at €3.50m.
The switch ends Olayinka’s short spell without a club following his departure from Serbian giants Red Star Belgrade, where he last held a contract that expired on 2025‑10‑29. By securing his signature, APOEL bring in an experienced wide attacker who has spent over a decade in European football, and who now commits his future to the Cypriot side until the end of his new contract on 2026‑06‑30.
For APOEL, the acquisition is a strategic addition to their attacking options in the Cyprus League. Olayinka’s main position is on the left wing, though he is comfortable operating across the front line and cutting inside onto his stronger right foot. Standing at 1.88m, he offers a blend of physical presence and mobility that has been honed in several competitive European leagues.
Born in Ibadan and developed at 36 Lion FC in Nigeria, Olayinka left his home country early in his career and has since built an extensive résumé abroad. His European journey began in Albania with FK Bylis and KF Skënderbeu, before a move to Belgium with KAA Gent and a productive loan spell at Zulte Waregem. He later established himself at FK Dukla Prague and then SK Slavia Prague, where his market value peaked at around €7m during a successful period that included regular top‑flight and European competition. In 2023 he transferred to Red Star Belgrade, adding the Serbian SuperLiga to a list of championships that already featured the Albanian, Belgian and Czech top tiers.
Now, Olayinka adds Cyprus to the list of countries in which he has played professionally, further underlining a career defined by constant movement across the continent rather than by domestic Nigerian football. His arrival gives APOEL a winger with extensive experience in different tactical setups and league styles, from the physical intensity of Belgium to the technical and structured approach typical of Czech and Serbian football.
While the free‑transfer nature of the deal limits financial risk for APOEL, the signing of a player with a €3.50m market value reflects an ambitious sporting move. For Olayinka, the contract offers a clear platform to re‑establish himself as a decisive attacking figure in a new environment and to extend a career that has already taken him from Ibadan to multiple European capitals. As he begins this next chapter in Nicosia on 2026‑02‑07, his performances in the Cyprus League will help determine whether this move becomes a late‑career springboard or a final consolidation of his reputation as a well‑travelled and reliable winger on the European stage.
