Panathinaikos have underlined their growing ambitions in Greek and European water polo by confirming the signings of Dimitrios Nikolaidis and Efstathios Kalogeropoulos within the space of a few hours.
The Green-Whites finished as runners-up in the 2026 Greek League and have now added two established Greek internationals to a squad expected to challenge Olympiacos for domestic honours next season.
Nikolaidis arrives from Olympiacos, bringing considerable experience and an impressive collection of trophies. The 27-year-old centre forward has previously represented PAOK, Brescia and Spandau 04, as well as enjoying two separate spells with Olympiacos.
He was part of the Olympiacos side that won the Champions League in 2018 and has also collected five Greek league titles, four Greek Cups and one Greek Super Cup with the Piraeus club. His career abroad was equally successful, winning domestic championships in Italy with Brescia and Germany with Spandau.
After establishing himself through Greece’s successful youth and junior national teams, Nikolaidis developed into an important member of the senior side. He has won three World Championship medals — one silver and two bronze — and was also part of the Greek team that claimed bronze at the 2026 European Championships.
Kalogeropoulos, 25, returns to Greece after an excellent season with Marseille.
The versatile international began his senior career at Vouliagmeni and later served as the club’s captain before moving to France last summer. His only season with Marseille ended with European silverware, as the French side lifted the Euro Cup.
Kalogeropoulos has also become a regular figure for the Greek national team, winning bronze medals at both the 2025 World Championships and the 2026 European Championships.
The two arrivals represent another major step forward for Panathinaikos, who have retained the majority of the squad that finished second in Greece last season. That includes Dimitrios Skoumpakis, one of the club’s most significant additions ahead of the previous campaign.
There will, however, be at least one notable departure. Montenegro international Dusan Banicevic has left Panathinaikos and will join Primorac Kotor for the new season.
With Nikolaidis offering strength and experience at centre forward and Kalogeropoulos adding further quality around the perimeter, Panathinaikos are assembling a squad capable of mounting another serious challenge at home while continuing the club’s rapid progress on the European stage.
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