West Ham United have reportedly made an initial enquiry about signing Panathinaikos striker Fotis Ioannidis, whose contract expires in the summer of 2027, at the end of the season.
According to Football Insider, West Ham are leading the race to sign Panathinaikos star Fotis Ioannidis in the summer transfer window as the Hammers look to bolster their ageing forward line.
The report adds that the 24-year-old is high on David Moyes’s striker wishlist at the London Stadium. The Hammers scouts have kept a close tab on Ioannidis’ progress this season and have been impressed with the Greece international’s goal-scoring exploits.
West Ham United step up transfer interest in Ioannidis
For West Ham, the interest in Fotis Ioannidis goes hand-in-hand with their pursuit of a starting striker. Sevilla’s Youssef En-Nesyri and Brentford’s Ivan Toney are named as potential targets.
With strikers Michail Antonio, 34, and Danny Ings, 31, managing just five Premier League goals between them this season, and the fact that Antonio is out of contract this summer and Ings is set to be a free agent in 2025, the Hammers are turning their attention to adding some new, young blood up front for the 2024/25 campaign.
Ioannidis, who has scored two goals in ten caps for Greece since making his debut in 2022, joined Panathinaikos from Levadiakos in 2020 and scored just seven goals in 42 games for the Greek Super League side last season.
The 24-year-old attacker has netted 21 times in all competitions this season and has seemingly caught the eyes of clubs across Europe. While the Greek attacker’s return of ten goals in 20 Super League games is decent yet unspectacular, it was in Europe that he really fired on all cylinders.
Although his side were knocked out at the UEFA Europa League group stage, Ioannidis bagged five goals in six matches against Villarreal, Maccabi Haifa, and Rennes, perhaps showing he is made for the big occasion.
The Greek striker is keen to play in the Premier League, and it has been reported that Panathinaikos are willing to let the forward leave in the summer window amid interest from Fulham and West Ham. Panathinaikos are ready to let him move to England in the summer if they receive bids in the region of £17 million for Ioannidis in the next transfer window.
