GREECE captain Angelos Basinas is to return to his homeland following a two-year absence after signing for AEK Athens.

The 32-year-old midfielder, who skippered Greece at Euro 2008, has penned a three-year contract with George Donis' side after leaving Spanish outfit Real Mallorca.

"Everything has ended great and now I'm looking forward to helping AEK achieve their targets in the coming season," Basinas told the club's official website, www.aekfc.gr.

"The coach played an important role in my decision to come here and also the chairman, Dimitris Markos. They won me over from the very beginning and I hope I can match their expectations of me and the team."

Basinas, a Panathinaikos academy graduate, spent 15 years with the Greens before leaving on a free transfer to Mallorca in 2006.

He was rumoured to be joining their arch-rivals Olympiacos but the reigning champions pulled out of the chase due to a disagreement over personal terms.