Panathinaikos FC is delighted to announce the signing of Rick van Drongelen from Turkish club Samsunspor. The 27-year-old Dutch central defender has signed a four-year contract, keeping him at the club until 2030.
Rick van Drongelen was born on December 20, 1998, in Axel, the Netherlands. He began playing football with his hometown club before joining the JVOZ football academy. In 2012, he moved to the Sparta Rotterdam academy, progressing through the youth ranks before making his professional debut for the club in 2015. During his time with Sparta, he made 49 appearances, scoring one goal and providing one assist.
In 2017, he earned a move to Hamburger SV, where he featured in 95 competitive matches, scoring two goals and registering three assists. At just 20 years of age, he was appointed captain of the German club.
In 2021, Van Drongelen signed for Union Berlin before spending loan spells with Mechelen and Hansa Rostock. He joined Samsunspor in 2023, making 112 appearances, scoring eight goals and providing three assists during his time with the Turkish side.
At international level, Van Drongelen has represented the Netherlands at Under-17, Under-18, Under-19 and Under-21 level.
We welcome Rick into Panathinaikos family.
