George Baldock dead aged 31 as ex-Sheffield United star 'found in swimming pool'

Former Premier League footballer George Baldock has reportedly been found dead in his swimming pool in Greece at the age of 31.

The former Sheffield United defender, who joined Greek club Panathinaikos in the summer, was found dead in a pool at his home, according to reports in Greece.

Multiple outlets in the country have reported the tragic news, including Sport24 and SDNA.

Concerns were raised when Baldock's wife was unable to contact him after several hours without a response.

The Mirror report that emergency services were called after Baldock was found in his swimming pool at his suburban home, with a doctor who was part of the response unit verifying that he had tragically died.

The Daily Mail report that images seen by the response unit suggest Baldock that had passed away several hours prior to being found.

His exact cause of death will be determined by a post-mortem examination.

Baldock only joined Panathinaikos this summer from Sheffield United, following the Yorkshire club's relegation from the Premier League last season.

He had spent seven years with the Blades between 2017 and 2024, having previously also represented MK Dons, Northampton and Oxford United among other clubs.

George Baldock playing for Greece (Image: Getty)

Of Greek origin through his father, Baldock made his international debut for Greece in 2022 – winning 12 caps for the national side.

His reported death comes on the eve of Greece's Nations League match against England at Wembley on Thursday night. Baldock was not included in Greece's squad for the game.

Tributes have been made to Baldock, with Panathinaikos blacking out their profile picture on X and Instagram in the wake of the tragic news.

England defender Harry Maguire, who himself previously played for Sheffield United, also paid tribute to Baldock - posting a picture of the defender on social media while also writing 'RIP' with a broken heart icon.

The Greek Super League seemingly confirmed the news of Baldock's death with a statement late on Wednesday evening.

"The entire Super League football family expresses its deep sorrow for the untimely loss of Panathinaikos and our national team footballer, George Baldock, and extends its deepest condolences to his family and loved ones," read the statement.