Panagiotis Retsos

Panagiotis Retsos (, born 9 August 1998) is a Greek professional footballer who plays as a defender for Premier League club Sheffield United, on loan from Bayer Leverkusen of the Bundesliga, and the Greece national team.

Club career
Retsos was born in Johannesburg to  Greek parents, Christos and Eleni. In the summer of 2016, at age 18, he was promoted from Olympiacos' youth team by first manager Víctor Sánchez, who was impressed by his stamina. On 25 August 2016 he made his debut with the club in a Europa League play offs home match against Arouca.

On 8 February 2017, Retsos has appointed captain of the club in a Greek Cup goalless home draw against Atromitos. Retsos became the youngest captain of a Greek champion club aged only 18, five months and 30 days.

On 30 August 2017, the 19-year-old Retsos was sold to Bayer Leverkusen for a fee of £15.75 million. The Bundesliga outfit believe they have signed themselves a future star, with the teenager having already broken records in his career. The 19-year-old centre-back has signed a five-year deal with the Bundesliga outfit after Leverkusen beat off competition from Ligue 1 sides Stade Rennes and Lyon for his signature. On 17 September 2017, he made his debut in Bundesliga in a 4–0 home win game against SC Freiburg as a starter. On the club's Twitter account, Retsos was voted the Man of the Match.

On 9 April 2018, substitute Retsos scored his first goal in Bundesliga by firing into the far corner after a left-wing free-kick broke to him at the far post, in a 4–1 away win against RB Leipzig. It was  his first goal in his professional career. In the Bundesliga this season, Retsos has made a total of 14 starts so far and has also made six substitute appearances. He has impressed during this time, displaying composure at the back for the German outfit.

On 2 August 2018, Retsos suffered a heavy blow to the quadriceps during pre-season training with Bayer Leverkusen and according to the initial medical evaluation, he was diagnosed with tendonitis in the right thigh. The injury is expected to sideline the defender for at least six weeks. It is Retsos’ first serious injury with the German club and he will miss the kick-off of the 2018–19 Bundesliga season. On 26 October 2018, Retsos is available for selection again and was on the Bayer Leverkusen bench in a UEFA Europa League match against FC Zurich.

On 29 November 2018, after a very difficult period for the defender marred by injury (208 days to be exact), Retsos returned to action in a UEFA Europa League home game against Ludogorets, but was unlucky as in the first half hour left the pitch with a muscular injury on his left thigh and according to the initial reports, Retsos will now spend another 10-12 weeks on the sidelines. On 29 October 2019, after a second very difficult period for the defender marred by injury (334 days to be exact), played in a DFB-Pokal game as a substitute in a 1–0 home win against Padeborn.

On 1 February 2020, Retsos signed for Premier League club Sheffield United on loan from Bayer Leverkusen until the end of the 2019–20 season.

International career
Retsos, being born in South Africa, was eligible to represent South Africa. However, he decided to represent Greece, as he and his family returned to their native Greece when Retsos was aged one. 

He made his debut for Greece on 31 August 2017, in a 0–0 home draw against Estonia in 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification.

Career statistics

Honours
Olympiacos
Super League Greece: 2016–17

Individual
Super League Greece Best Young Player of the Year: 2016–17

References

External links

Category:1998 births
Category:Living people
Category:Sportspeople from Johannesburg
Category:Greek footballers
Category:Greece youth international footballers
Category:Greece under-21 international footballers
Category:Greece international footballers
Category:Association football defenders
Category:Olympiacos F.C. players
Category:Bayer 04 Leverkusen players
Category:Sheffield United F.C. players
Category:Superleague Greece players
Category:Bundesliga players
Category:Greek expatriate footballers
Category:Expatriate footballers in England
Category:Expatriate footballers in Germany
Category:Greek expatriate sportspeople in England
Category:Greek expatriate sportspeople in Germany