Panathinaikos coach Rui Vitoria pushing for Mostafa Mohamed signing

Panathinaikos coach Rui Vitoria is reportedly pushing for the Greek club to sign Nantes and Egypt striker Mostafa Mohamed during the January transfer window.

The Portuguese coach is said to be keen on reuniting with Mohamed, whom he previously worked with during his time as head coach of the Egyptian national team.

Vitoria has identified the 27-year-old forward as a potential addition to his Panathinaikos squad as he looks to strengthen his attacking options.

The experienced tactician coached Egypt before Hossam Hassan took charge of the national team, and Mohamed enjoyed one of his more productive periods under the Portuguese tactician.

The striker scored four goals during the Africa Cup of Nations under Vitoria, although Egypt’s campaign ended in the round of 16.

Their previous working relationship is understood to be one of the factors behind Vitoria’s interest as Panathinaikos prepare to explore the possibility of bringing the forward to Greece.

Mohamed’s future at Nantes has become increasingly uncertain after he fell down the pecking order and struggled to secure consistent playing time.

The Egyptian has spent a number of matches on the bench, while his statistics have also declined compared with previous seasons.

That situation has opened the possibility of a departure, with Nantes reportedly prepared to consider offers as the club looks to benefit financially from his transfer.

Mohamed joined Nantes in 2022 after initially arriving on loan from Galatasaray, before the French club eventually activated the option to make his move permanent.

Despite his contract situation, his reduced role under coach Antoine Kombouaré has fuelled speculation that the striker could seek a new challenge.

Panathinaikos are now emerging as one of the clubs monitoring his situation, with Vitoria reportedly keen to make Mohamed part of his plans.

The Greek side are expected to open discussions with Nantes in January as they explore a possible deal rather than waiting until the end of the season.

A move to Greece would also represent another chapter in Mohamed’s European career, having previously played in Turkey with Galatasaray and in France with Nantes.

Al Ahly have also been linked with an attempt to bring the Egyptian back to the club, particularly with the prospect of involving him in their plans for the Club World Cup.

However, reports from Greece indicate that Mohamed’s preference remains to continue his career in Europe rather than return to the Egyptian Premier League.

That stance could make Panathinaikos’ approach particularly significant, with Vitoria looking to use his previous knowledge of Mohamed to convince the striker to join his project in Greece.

For now, the focus remains on whether Panathinaikos can reach an agreement with Nantes, but Vitoria’s reported interest has added another potential destination to the growing list surrounding Mohamed’s future.