Former AEK defender Stavros Tziortziopoulos (right) and Aris midfielder Paulo Costa will both be playing their football in Cyprus next season after finalising deals with AC Omonia and APOEL respectively.

The 28-year-old Tziortziopoulos, who was released at the end of the season by AEK, has signed a two-year contract with Omonia, who finished second in the Cypriot league behind APOEL. They qualified for the UEFA Cup qualifying rounds.

Tziortziopoulos, who has also played for Olympiakos, Panionios, Iraklis and Akratitos, played in two UEFA Champions League games for AEK in 2006-07.

Costa, meanwhile, has left Aris to join Cypriot champions APOEL.

The 27-year-old, who played 29 times for Aris scoring seven goals last season, is arriving in Cyprus for medical tests today having agreed a three-year contract. He is APOEL's second Portuguese signing since the end of the season following the arrival of 23-year-old central defender Nuno Morais from Chelsea.

APOEL will start their 2007-08 UEFA Champions League campaign in the first qualifying round.