Sporting CP have been trying to sign Fotis Ioannidis all summer. The Portuguese club’s plan is to get themselves another top striker so if they’re forced to sell Viktor Gyokeres then it’s not a complete disaster of a situation.
However, Panathinaikos simply haven’t been playing ball. The player is important to them, hasn’t really been fighting to move, and they won’t accept less than they feel is a fair price.
Tuesday’s edition of O Jogo carries claims from England of Southampton making an effort worth €30m. Whilst they haven’t been able to back that offer up, they have found out, likely via Sport Republic sources, that the Saints could afford such an amount if they so wished.
Leicester City have already offered €27m, which was rejected by the Greek club, whereas nothing has arrived from Ipswich Town but they’re still seen as a likely threat.
What Sporting can offer, which Leicester, Southampton and Ipswich could not, is Champions League football and a title charge.
