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jul 14 2026Panathinaikos has no intention of letting Juancho Hernangómez leave. Rumors linking the Spanish international to Real Madrid have been firmly shut down by Dimitris Giannakopoulos, owner of the Greek club.
During an Instagram live session, the executive was clear when asked about the future of the power forward: "Who is going to let Juancho go?". A message that points not only to his continuity, but also to Panathinaikos' desire to keep him long-term as part of the project.
Juancho has a contract through 2027, but the Athens club wants to avoid any doubt about his future. Giannakopoulos even hinted that the decision would be in the player's own hands, with Panathinaikos willing to offer him continuity "for as long as he wants".
Real Madrid's interest made sporting and strategic sense. Juancho is an EU player, has experience, can play power forward, and would fit into a white squad looking for solutions following Trey Lyles' departure, Usman Garuba's injury, and uncertainty surrounding Mario Hezonja.
However, Panathinaikos does not appear willing to open that door. Despite having a high-level frontcourt rotation with names like Guerschon Yabusele, Dinos Mitoglou, and Nigel Hayes-Davis, the Greek club considers Juancho an important piece.
The Spaniard comes off a solid EuroLeague season, averaging 8 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 12.3 efficiency rating per game. Numbers that explain why Real Madrid was looking at him… and also why Panathinaikos won't let him go.
