Van Drongelen arrives, and the defence finally has a spine
Panathinaikos have their man. Rick van Drongelen will join from Samsunspor for a fee starting at €5.5 million, potentially rising to €7 million with bonuses (1) (4). The 27-year-old Dutch centre-back signs a three-year deal and becomes the third Dutchman in the squad alongside Stefan de Vrij and Tonny Vilhena (2) (3). Trabzonspor made a late push, but the player chose Athens (1).
This is not a signing that lights up Twitter. It is better than that.
Van Drongelen is a left-footed, ball-playing centre-back who started 32 of 34 Süper Lig matches last season. His numbers in passing accuracy and aerial duels were among the best in the league for his position (1). He reads danger early, steps forward with purpose, and gives you a natural left-sided balance that Panathinaikos have lacked. Pair him with De Vrij and you have a partnership that can organise itself, not one that needs constant coaching from the touchline.
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The fee tells you the club means business. A minimum €5.5 million outlay on a defender, in a summer where the squad still needs additions further forward, signals clear priorities. Giannakopoulos has been vocal about keeping the core together, and now he is backing it with cash (1).
The Dutch connection is real, and it is deliberate
De Vrij. Vilhena. Now Van Drongelen. Three Dutch internationals, all in their prime or just past it, all in the same dressing room. That is not coincidence.
Van Drongelen cited the presence of De Vrij and Vilhena as a factor in his decision (2) (3). For a club that has sometimes felt like a collection of individuals rather than a unit, building a Dutch-speaking leadership group inside the squad is smart. De Vrij organises the back line. Vilhena connects midfield to attack. Van Drongelen slots in as the left-sided complement, comfortable on the ball and assertive in the air. You can see the logic taking shape.
The 120-minute friendly against Rapid Vienna, arranged by mutual agreement between the coaches to maximise fitness, now looks like a final stress test before the real pieces arrive (background). The squad shape is emerging, and the timing of this deal suggests the club wanted Van Drongelen in the building before the serious work begins.
What to watch
The deal is agreed but not yet signed. Medical and final terms are the next steps, and Panathinaikos fans know better than to celebrate before the ink is dry (4). Once it is official, attention shifts quickly: the European qualifiers are approaching, and a settled defence with De Vrij and Van Drongelen changes the calculation. The question is what happens in front of them. Vilhena needs partners, and the attack still needs reinforcement. Van Drongelen fixes one problem. The others are still waiting.
