With the transfer window closing in, Saints are set to smash their transfer record to sign a striker from Athens’ Panathinaikos. Here’s a closer look.
Rumors from Greece suggest that Saints are preparing a bid that could shatter their transfer record.
According to givemesport.com, the player in question is Fotis Ioannidis from Panathinaikos. The 24-year-old center forward has seen his stock rise dramatically over the past year. In the 2023/24 season, he scored 10 goals and provided 5 assists in 20 Greek Super League games. He also added 4 goals and 2 assists in 8 Super League playoff matches.
In total, Ioannidis has netted 40 goals and provided 14 assists in 144 Super League appearances for Panathinaikos. His value has surged particularly this past season, bolstered by his performance with the Greek National team, where he has earned 11 caps, scored twice, and registered 2 assists.
Greek media reports that Southampton are the frontrunners for Ioannidis, preparing to meet Panathinaikos’s asking price of €30 million, approximately £27 million—well above their previous transfer record.
However, Saints aren’t the only interested party. Leicester City had a bid rejected and have yet to make a new offer, while Ipswich’s nearly £20 million bid was turned down in June.
The big question remains whether Southampton’s interest is genuine or if Panathinaikos and the player’s agent are simply trying to drive up the price. We’ll know soon enough.