Caltex Socceroos striker joins Cypriot club

Caltex Socceroos striker Apostolos Giannou has joined Cypriot side AEK Larnaca on a two-and-a-half year deal.

Giannou, 28, has decided to leave Chinese Super League club Guangzhou R&F after failing to cement a first-team spot over the last year.

He made just seven appearances in the CSL, scoring two goals.

"I want to thank the family of AEK who gave me the opportunity to come here," Giannou told the club website.

"AEK is a very organised club, so I decided to come. It is a team that has challenged for the championship in recent years and that's why I have come to win the championship.

"My goal is to always look higher and with this reason I have come to a team that challenges for the championship to help them as much as I can.

"I had other options, but I thought the best option was to come to AEK, having talked with the team's management about their ambition."

Greece-born Giannou was linked with a move to the Hyundai A-League with Central Coast Mariners, but decided to head to Europe as he looks to push his claims for a Caltex Socceroos berth for the FIFA World Cup.

Giannou has made five appearances for Australia but has yet to score a goal.

His last cap came in the 1-1 draw with Japan in Melbourne in October 2016 in a FIFA World Cup qualifier.