Panathinaikos signs French midfielder Étienne Camara from Charleroi on four-year deal

The signing

Panathinaikos FC announced on Saturday afternoon the acquisition of Étienne Camara from Belgian side Charleroi. The 23-year-old French central midfielder put pen to paper on a four-year contract that runs until the summer of 2030, with the deal completed at the club's Koropi training ground in the presence of owner Giannis Alafouzos and technical director Stefanos Kotsolis.

The transfer cost Panathinaikos a little over €4 million, while Charleroi retained a resale percentage. Camara's annual earnings will be slightly above €1 million. He is the first reinforcement of the summer window for the Athens club, which also confirmed the loan renewal of Luis Chaves and expects goalkeeper Iñaki Peña to arrive in Athens on Sunday for a medical.

Career path

Born on 30 March 2003 in Noisy-le-Grand, a suburb of Paris, Camara has roots in Guinea. He began playing football at age six in the academy of French side Torcy, then moved to Angers in the summer of 2019, spending approximately seven months at youth level before heading to England. At Huddersfield Town he made his professional debut at 18 years old, later joining Udinese and eventually Charleroi.

In two seasons with the Belgian club, Camara made 85 appearances, scoring two goals and providing five assists. He has also represented France at under-20 level, taking part in the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina.

First words

Speaking for the first time as a Panathinaikos player, Camara underlined that the club had been pursuing him since January and that the decision was straightforward.

“I am very proud to be at Panathinaikos. I think it was the best choice. Since January they wanted me to come, but I wanted to finish the season with my old club first. Now I am ready to give my best and I hope we win many titles.”

The midfielder said he made up his mind about a week ago after conversations with the technical director and the coach, adding that no other suitor showed the same level of interest.

Ambition and mission

Camara described the club's ambition as a decisive factor in his choice. He sees the move as a fresh challenge and a chance to grow under a coach who, he noted, knows him well.

“We have to bring Panathinaikos back to the top. That is our mission, and we will do everything to achieve it.”

Reflecting on his style of play, Camara described himself as a hard-working, strong midfielder with good technical ability who likes to have the ball and help his teammates. At 23, he believes there is still significant room for improvement and expects the coaching staff to help him develop in every area.

Fan connection

The player acknowledged the strong reception he has already received from supporters, saying he had seen messages on Instagram and felt the love. He promised to repay that support on the pitch and said he could not wait to get started.