Leicester City’s Victor Kristiansen is undergoing a medical ahead of his move to Panathinaikos. Now the defender is just one step away from completing his exit from the Foxes.
Last month, Danish newspaper Tipsbladet revealed Panathinaikos were negotiating with Leicester over a season-long loan with an option to buy. After weeks of talks, the deal has now reached its final stage.
According to the same outlet, Kristiansen was in Italy on Saturday to complete his medical before officially joining the Greek giants.
The 23-year-old is expected to arrive at Panathinaikos on a loan deal for the 2026-27 campaign, with the Greek club securing an option to make the move permanent.
Long negotiations finally reach the finish line
The transfer has taken longer than initially expected. Tipsbladet explain they first revealed the negotiations in mid-June, but there was little visible progress for several weeks.
It was only on Friday that multiple Greek outlets reported Leicester City and Panathinaikos had finally reached an agreement.
Now, provided Saturday’s medical goes as planned, the transfer should be completed within hours.
The report adds Kristiansen is expected to be available to Panathinaikos manager Jacob Neestrup as early as Monday.
Reunion with the manager who launched his career
Victor Kristiansen will be reunited with the coach who oversaw the most successful spell of his career.
Under Neestrup at FC Copenhagen, the left-back developed into one of Denmark’s brightest young defenders. Afterwards, Leicester paid a package worth up to €20m (£17.1m) to sign him in January 2023. At the time, it represented a record sale for the Danish club.
Leicester’s relegation to League One has made an exit an attractive solution for all parties. As a result, Panathinaikos have taken advantage by agreeing a loan with an option to buy rather than committing to an immediate permanent transfer.
Barring any unexpected issues during the medical, Kristiansen’s Leicester City career will now be paused, with Panathinaikos set to complete the move in time for him to begin work under Neestrup at the start of next week.
