The two “tanks” of central defenders that Panathinaikos is already testing

January and the winter transfer “window” are still a month and a half away, and until then Panathinaikos has another (fourth) round of crucial games in the league, European Cup and cup (against Olympiakos).

However, the market is gradually starting to “warm up”, transfer trips are increasing (the last of which was carried out on the two days November 13-14 by Yiannis Papadimitriou and Makis Livathinos, presenting their “gift”). to this year’s work “TransferRoom”) and the player checking has begun.

Panathinaikos will move in the January transfer window just to sign a central defender. The biggest gap that has arisen in the admittedly “more complete” Clover squad in recent years is due to the condition caused by the serious injury to Hordur Magnusson (torn cruciate ligament in the game on September 3rd against…). AEK), Eric Palmer-Brown’s problem (bone swelling) that has kept him out of action for a month and a half, but also the muscle injuries suffered by Bart Schenkefeld and Tin Gedvai at the start of the season.

Here all the weight has fallen for this transfer window, as the technical team shows absolute confidence in the group of wingers at its disposal (Palacios, Mancini, Aitor, Verbitz, but also Bernard) and expects this with the full integration of Aitor (based based on what the Catalan showed in the game against Kifisia) he will start to get even more from his wingers, who have already scored a total of 13 goals and 9 assists in the first 21 official games of the season.

What is also clear and unambiguous from the “Greens” is that Panathinaikos will not make a transfer for the sake of… a transfer. Something that was an unshakable constant in Ivan Jovanovic’s time in the “Cloverleaf” (and Papadimitriou also agrees) and will also apply in this “window” when the club is looking for a central defender in the “front row” and not after an additional option to fill Magnusson’s gap and keep the dynamism of the Panathinaikos defensive line at a high level. A stopper who gives height, is aggressive and good with the ball at his feet and actively participates in the first zone of the team’s structure.

“Force” the combination and coverage of the specific characteristics, especially for the January transfer window, where the options are significantly fewer, but also the rules for purchases (in terms of status and conditions under which each team grants a player) . much harder”.

The two main searches

But on the other hand, at “Clover” they have no intention of making “discounts” in relation to the racing elements they are looking for and that is why for weeks they have been concentrating on examining the international market (mainly) and concentrating on searches with two “tanks” of the central defenders.

1. For stoppers who are “active” (meaning they currently have games under their belt and are not currently in their teams’ first choice rotation for various reasons). And they will be available next summer for a six-month loan with or without an option to buy.
2. In central defenders who will be free next summer and fit exactly what Panathinaikos is looking for. That is, players who, if they stand out as the team’s final “targets”, could be locked in the “cloverleaf” from January 1 (with a summer horizon), and the “Greens” will then discuss with their teams the prospect of their immediate acquisition from the beginning of January instead of a certain amount.

During this time the market is significantly “tighter”, but in Panathinaikos you already have an initial, good picture (through the special platforms such as “TransferRoom”, but also the direct contacts that have already been made) about who is available and under what status are.

The list of candidates is slowly taking shape, with the “Greens” keeping their antennae open to any change or “opportunity” that arises in the market, wishing they had made their final choice with the turn of the times and will be made from the first days of January There is still a (basic) solution available that is loaded with “large” matches…

See the passage from 50:26