Athens – Iranian midfielder Masoud Shojaei has joined Panionios of the Greek Super League on a one-year deal.
Shojaei played his club football in Qatar the last two years for Al-Shahania and Al-Gharafa. He now returns to European football for first time since a six-year spell in Spain where he played five seasons in La Liga with Osasuna and one season in the Segunda Division with Las Palmas.
Shojaei is the second Iranian player to join Panionios after forward Karim Ansarifard, who signed with Panionios one year ago and scored nine goals in a productive season as Panionios finished fifth in the Super League table.
Masoud has scored eight goals in over sixty appearances for Team Melli since 2004 and first appeared on the National Team of Iran’s radar during his three years with Saipa from 2003 to 2006.
In recent years, rumors have surfaced that some TM fans have not been very thrilled with Masoud being called up to represent Iran. Perhaps the move to Greece might be exactly what Masoud needs to fix his credibility among TM supporters.