Panathinaikos are reported to have turned down an improved €25 million (£21.1 million) offer from the Blues for striker Fotis Ioannidis.

On Monday, it was revealed that Town had made a €22 million (£18.6 million) offer for the Greek international frontman, which was rebuffed by the Athens club, apparently due to it being too heavily weighted towards top-ups rather than up front cash, reportedly an initial €17.5 million (£14.8 million) plus a further €4.5 million (£3.8 million) in bonuses triggered later on down the line.

Now, according to Sportime, the Blues have come back with a new offer worth €25 million (£21.1 million), which is also said to have been turned down.

While Panathinaikos are keen to keep hold of the player and have held talks regarding a new deal, it’s said that the size of the new bid - which would apparently be a new Greek record - could be more tempting for owner Giannis Alafouzos, while the player would also take the interest very seriously.

Other clubs are also keen with a report in Italy yesterday claiming Bologna had agreed personal terms with Ioannidis after talks with his agent, but without having settled a fee with Panathinaikos.

French side Lille are reported to have made a €21 million (£17.7 million) offer earlier in the week, while Portuguese club Sporting CP had previously been the favourites to land the 11-times-capped Greek international.

Ioannidis was a youth player with Olympiacos Chalkida and Levadiakos before breaking into senior football with the latter late in 2018 and in August 2020, he joined Panathinaikos on a four-year deal.

Goals were hard to come by in his first three seasons with the Athens-based side, netting four, four and seven in the league in those campaigns.

Nevertheless, his form was good enough to see him win the first of his full caps, in which he has scored two goals, in 2022, having already played at U18, U19 and U21 levels.

Last season, Ioannidis, whose father Vasilios also played professionally in Greece, netted 23 times and picked up nine assists in all competitions, 15 in the league, seven in Europe, Panathinaikos having narrowly missed out on the group stage of the Champions League before entering the Europa League.

Photo: Sipa USA

Help added 12:19 - Jun 19 This one is going to go on a bit init
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SamWhiteUK added 12:22 - Jun 19 If we had anyone other than McKenna and Ashton at the helm, I'd be getting very scared right now about us "doing a Forest," but I think our transfer dealings so far under this regime have evidenced quite the eye for players to fit our system.
4

mathiemagic added 12:24 - Jun 19 Szmodics please Kieran, this guy will take an age to get used to English football and no doubt want a massive contract on which we would be stuck with if we dont stay up. Szmodics would be perfect in my opinion.
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NorthLondonBlue2 added 12:25 - Jun 19 Obviously our promotion meant we would be playing every team in the PL. I can’t help but feel that now saying to him ‘join us and you’ll be playing against Liverpool and Man City in your first week’ is something that massively improves our appeal.
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Europablue added 12:27 - Jun 19 Wake me up when some transfers have been made. I don't have the nerves anymore for speculation.
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Barty added 12:34 - Jun 19 We must be keen if we've up our offer and I certainly trust the judgement of Kieran and Mark.
6

BobbyBell added 12:40 - Jun 19 It seems we are very keen on this guy so let's trust ITFC to get it right. He's just 24 so with KM and his coaching team we could increase his value. We will no doubt be pinned back in our own half a lot more in this league so a quality front who can hold the ball up and link our play will be crucial. We have plenty of goal scorers so it's the all round play rather than the number of goals that matters.

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baxterbasics added 12:40 - Jun 19 Come on take the offer you bastids!
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atty added 12:48 - Jun 19 Not hearing anything about this from any other source, National or indeed local! Phil on the ball!
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blueplumber added 12:56 - Jun 19 Seems a huge offer if true. But like others we seem to research our buys well. I can't see them wasting money
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DinDjarin added 12:59 - Jun 19 For us to offer that and other big clubs also interested we must have some serious research on the guy and really want to make this happen.
2

JackSwan added 13:00 - Jun 19 I think I'm going to have to buy 2 shirts this season.
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fallyblue added 13:02 - Jun 19 I hope this one comes off, sounds exactly what we need. However I think any foreign players need to be here sooner rather than later to do a full pre-season and be involved in the friendly games. If we get him later in the window it may take a while to get up to speed with how we play, and that’s a lot of money to have on the bench.
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Alphawhiskey added 13:04 - Jun 19 What about if we bid 20mil and throw in a couple of 'Portman pies' ? To be fair I've never heard of him, but then again I'd never heard of 'Burns' 'Hutchinson' and 'Davies' and look how they turned out........ Trust the process and trust MA and KMC.
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Gforce added 13:19 - Jun 19 It will be interesting to see how much we end up spending in total, if we are willing to spend over 21 million on our first signing. I wouldn't be surprised if we sign 3/4 out of contract players,whose deals are normally up at the end of June. For me Ross Barkley would be a good start.
1

Knightsy added 13:42 - Jun 19 Can't we give them Freddie Ladapo plus Cash Deal
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Karlosfandangal added 13:42 - Jun 19 Alpha Slow down there, don’t think Town should be reckless, those pies are not bad, sausage rolls maybe but not pies
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hyperbrit added 13:45 - Jun 19 going into the season without any PROVEN premiership strikers with our current defense doesn't appeal to me
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Bazza8564 added 13:54 - Jun 19 Trust the process seems to be featuring more and more in comments which is good to see. let's just see what the guys come up with, it's good we are being quoted with up and coming players, this guys would be 80m if he had PL experience. And as far as Szmodics is concerned, im surprised people have voted that down, we will be buying more than one player this summer after all. Probably 8-9 given expected a

2

Robert_Garrett added 13:55 - Jun 19 is there really a bid in or two or is it just speculation from the press and media? Think its worth waiting for the "Deal Done" sign from Mark Ashton before we start counting our chickens? Think Hirsty will be thirsty come August and liverpool so who cares.
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grumpyoldman added 14:38 - Jun 19 According to the article this is based on he does not want to come here as concerned we will struggle in Premier league and would prefer Sporting Lisbon or any established Premier team.
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AbujaBlue added 14:40 - Jun 19 We should offer them two friendlies to seal the deal.
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PortmanTerrorist added 15:25 - Jun 19 Ashton/McKenna must know something we don't about this guy....if these rumours are true. Does not standout based on what I can figure out or from my Greek contacts, but then I remember thinking the same about Hirst and others so we must trust the process !
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Flight_of_Shefki added 15:43 - Jun 19 Well, don't wait out for him - and I certainly can't see the lad being worth anymore. That £20mil could be put to good use elsewhere.
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MVBlue added 15:43 - Jun 19 Lets call it £28million with a £50m sell on clause. Do you know I think this is clever stuff, if we go for that Arsenal striker he'll want high weekly wages, but going into Europe and South America for the best talent we should be able to keep wages high but not too high.
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