Panathinaikos have turned their attention to Kings Kangwa, Hapoel Beer Sheva's Zambian midfielder and the reigning Israeli Premier League Player of the Season, according to a report from ONE.
The Greek club's interest surfaces just after Hapoel Beer Sheva's negotiations with AEK Athens over Kangwa broke down. The Israeli champions had been in talks with AEK for weeks, but ONE reports those discussions have now collapsed, opening the door for a rival Athens club to step in.
Greek outlets have independently picked up the same story. Gazzetta.gr described Panathinaikos as showing "warm interest" in Kangwa, while Onsports.gr and SKAI reported the club is weighing him as an alternative in central midfield after a more high-profile pursuit fell short.
That pursuit was of Brentford's Mathias Jensen. The Danish international had been Panathinaikos's primary target for the deep-lying midfield role, but the move has stalled — reports in England describe hesitation on Jensen's side and Brentford raising their asking price toward €10 million after triggering a one-year extension on his contract.
With Jensen increasingly out of reach, Panathinaikos have shifted their focus to cheaper alternatives, and Kangwa's profile fits. His market value is estimated around €3.8 million, and, according to the Greek reports, his salary demands are modest — a financially comfortable fit for a club not looking to break the bank this window.
Kangwa, 27, arrives into this speculation on the back of a landmark season. He was named the Israeli Premier League's Player of the Season for 2025/26, taking 54 percent of the vote, after contributing 12 goals and nine assists as Hapoel Beer Sheva won the title — the club's sixth championship and first in eight years. He scored and set up a goal in the decisive 4-2 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv that sealed it.
He remains under contract at Hapoel Beer Sheva until 2028, giving the Israeli club leverage in any negotiation even without AEK's involvement.
The interest emerges at a pointed moment for both clubs' European campaigns. Hapoel Beer Sheva lost the first leg of their Champions League second qualifying round tie 2-1 away to Vikingur Reykjavik on Tuesday, with Kangwa scoring the visitors' goal.
Panathinaikos, meanwhile, are focused on their own qualifying assignment, hosting — or travelling to — Hungarian side Paksi in the Conference League's second qualifying round, with the first leg played this week after the Greek club dropped into that competition following Champions League qualifying elimination earlier in the season.
According to ONE, sources close to both the player and Hapoel Beer Sheva have confirmed Panathinaikos's interest is genuine, with further developments expected within days. No formal offer has been reported yet, and the story remains at the reconnaissance stage rather than an active negotiation.
