Panathinaikos promotes six academy players to professional contracts

Greek football club Panathinaikos announced that six of its academy graduates have signed three‑year professional contracts. The players are defenders Spyrós Athanasákis, midfielders Thanós Demetrakópoulos and Thanós Doukás, forward Georgios Kásimos, and forwards Dimitris Kokkinós and Dimitris Xydías. The signings are part of the club’s summer overhaul, which also saw the arrival of new coach Zico Nistrop, and aim to strengthen the pathway from the youth system to the first team.

Each player issued a statement after signing. Athanasákis said the contract is “the most important moment of my football career so far,” while Demetrakópoulos described the day as “the fulfillment of a big goal” and expressed pride in becoming a professional for the historic club. The club highlighted the contracts as a step toward promoting home‑grown talent.