(GREEKSOCCER.com)
Late evening reports emanating from Portugal on Friday have linked SL Benfica with a € 10 million offer sheet for Panathinaikos FC midfielder Sebastian Leto. The Argentine is the reported target of the Lisbon-based side as Benfica are looking for alternate options in the cse that talisman Angel Di Maria joins Real Madrid in this summer’s transfer window.
The Greek Champions were not expected to sell Leto as the Trifylli ended a long title-drought in the Greek Super League by winning the league and cup double. The current ownership debacle, which sees the club headed for an election to determine the club’s next president after Nikos Pateras issued his resignation, could potentially decide if Leto leaves Athens or not.
After his first season with Panathinaikos, Leto became a household name with the club’s faithful supporters, despite spending the prior season with arch-rivals Olympiacos CFP.
Leto’s career in European football was supposed to start at Liverpool FC, but issues in obtaining a work permit for successive seasons for Reds’ manager Rafa Benitez to loan the player to Olympiacos ahead of the 2008/2009 season.
While Leto’s contributions were below expectations in Piraeus, the left-winger was expected to remain at the Giorgos Karaiskakis Stadium and replace club legend Predrag Djordjevic. Talks broke down between Leto and Olympiacos as the club decided not to resign the player, and Leto bitterly decided to join Panathinaikos instead.
Signing a permanent contract at the OAKA Spyros Louis Stadium, Leto embarked on a new adventure and has made history as he has won domestic doubles in each of his two season in Greek football.
Should Panathinaikos accept Benfica’s offer for Leto, the departure of the Argentine will leave a major gap in the Panathinaikos midfield — an event that could spark the early recall of Andreas Ivanschitz’s loan spell at FSV Mainz 05.
Leto’s contract with Panathinaikos is expected to run until the end of the 2013/2014 season.
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