Former Bristol City defender Hordur Magnusson won't be returning to the Championship as he stands on the brink of signing for Panathinaikos.
The 29-year-old left Russian side CSKA Moscow after four years with the club when his contract expired at the beginning of this month. He was linked with a potential move to league rivals Sheffield United with manager Paul Heckingbottom eager to sign a left-sided centre-back.
The Sheffield Star also wrote how a number of English clubs were looking into his situation but were baulking at his relatively high wage demands.
While the club have yet to make an official announcement, reports in Greece claim the transfer deal is completed with an agreement to be revealed imminently. Magnusson is on his way to meet up with his new club on their pre-season tour of Austria where he will undergo medical examinations.
It will be the fifth country he has played in having kick-started his career with Icelandic side Fram before heading to Juventus where he had loan spells with Italian clubs Spezia and Cesena. A move to the Robins followed before departing to Russia and now Greece.
Magnusson moved to CSKA Moscow following the conclusion of the 2017/18 season with manager Lee Johnson at the time admitting they decided to cash in after receiving "a very good offer."
He moved to the VEB Arena for 2.5million Euros, playing 93 times and winning the Russian Super Cup in 2018. CSKA Moscow finished fifth in the Russian top flight this season with Magnusson featuring just four times in the league.
He proved a popular figure during his time at Ashton Gate and played a key part during City's run to the semi-finals of the EFL Cup including playing in the victory over Manchester United which he described as the best moment in a Robins shirt.
Magnusson built a great rapport with the City faithful despite just two seasons in BS3 and praised the "unbelievable City fans" upon his departure further declaring he would keep track of their progress.
Manager Nigel Pearson is still in the market for a new central defender this summer despite Kal Naismith's arrival. The departure of Robbie Cundy to Barnsley on a free transfer and Taylor Moore's loan switch to Shrewsbury means the manager wants another player at the back to compete with Timm Klose, Naismith, Rob Atkinson and Tomas Kalas for a starting role.
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