Panathinaikos Unlikely to Retain Ounahi After Inconsistent Loan Spell

The Athenian club, according to several local sources, would no longer be inclined to go all out to keep the player on loan from Olympique de Marseille.

The player’s inconsistent performances would be the main cause of this turnaround. Capable of flashes of brilliance, as evidenced by his three goals and four assists in 30 appearances, Ounahi has struggled to string together high-level performances. An inconsistency that is costly in a championship where consistency is king.

Initially, Panathinaikos hoped to lower the amount of the purchase option, initially set at 11 million euros. A substantial sum that the Athenian leaders perhaps considered excessive. But it is another tune that now resonates.

The club president, Giannis Alafouzos, would no longer be willing to dig into his pockets. He would consider that the investment would not be profitable given the overall performance of the player. Rumors that, if confirmed, could precipitate Ounahi’s return to the Canebière.

"Although Ounahi has shone in certain matches, his inability to maintain a consistent level of performance has reduced his importance within the team," the newspaper Sportime recently reported. Words that leave little doubt as to Panathinaikos’ intentions. Olympique de Marseille, for its part, could therefore see the return of a player whose future remains, for the moment, in suspense.