Rangers' Euro foes Panathinaikos turn down mega £17MILLION bid for star man as Champions League showdown approaches

Scottish Sun

16 hours ago

NO DEAL Rangers' Euro foes Panathinaikos turn down mega £17MILLION bid for star man as Champions League showdown approaches
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PANATHINAIKOS have turned down a £17 million offer from Fiorentina for Greek international striker Fotis Ioannidis because they want him to fire them to Champions League glory against Rangers.
Rangers meet the Greek side in the second qualifying round with the first leg in Glasgow and the return at the Olympic Stadium in Athens.
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Rangers' European opponents Panathinaikos have rejected a huge bid for Fotis Ioannidis
Credit: Sportsfile
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They want to keep the goalscorer for their UCL tie
Credit: Getty
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Ioannidis in action for Greece against Grant Hanley of Scotland
Credit: Jane Barlow / PA
Panathinaikos have received plenty of interest from clubs across Europe after Ioannidis netted 15 goals for club and country, including in Greece's last game against Bulgaria.
Serie A side Fiorentina were the first club to follow up their interest with a concrete bid for the 25-year-old of £17 million.
But reports in Greece have indicated Panathinaikos have informed the Italians they no intention of selling anyone until they play their Champions League ties with Rangers.
They have already snapped up three players for the new campaign - ex-Liverpool midfielder Pedro Chirivella, Greek international defender Georgios Kyriakopoulos from Monza and fellow stopper Ahmed Touba, with the Algerian international arriving from Turkish side Basaksehir.
And they have made it clear they want their star striker Ioannidis available for the games against Russell Martin's new charges.
He's been capped 17 times for his country at full senior level, scoring six goals for them.
He's already netted many times in European competition against the likes of Marseille, Fiorentina, RC Lens, Stade Rennes, and Villareal.
Ioannidis has also donned the captain's armband for his club regularly in the past season.
He featured for most of Greece's 1-0 loss against Scotland in the Nations League play-off, but only made a short cameo in the victorious second leg.
Meanwhile, their opponents Rangers are chasing the signature of a 24-year-old from the Italian Serie A.
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FC Zurich want to extend the loan of Swiss winger Samuel Ballet, but Cesc Fabregas' Como would rather cash in on him.
Reports say Ibrox officials have been holding talks with their Italian opposite numbers about a deal for Ballet.
'Concrete talks' are said to be underway with the Ibrox club and other interested parties.
Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page