One West Ham target didn't quite cut it with Arsenal a few years ago - will he change perceptions this time around?
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Arsenal have been a club transformed in recent seasons under Mikel Arteta, but one of the players he rejected at the club could be set for a Premier League return with West Ham United.
Last week, West Ham United agreed a £30m deal with Manchester United for Harry Maguire to bolster their defence but, after growing tired of waiting, eventually backed away from any potential transfer.
The Hammers, therefore, have started looking at alternative options, and have landed at one former Arsenal centre-back who David Moyes and the club believes will fix their backline.
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According to ExWHUEmployee on Twitter - which has later been confirmed by Fabrizio Romano - West Ham are in talks to sign Konstantinos Mavropanos from Stuttgart.
Contracted to Arsenal for four seasons, the Greek international only made eight appearances for the Gunners in all competitions during his time at the club. Signed by Arsene Wenger in January 2018 for a reported £2m, Mavropanos never actually played under Mikel Arteta.
Loaned out to FC Nurnberg for the second-half of the 2019/20 season, he then spent two years with Stuttgart before making the move permanent last summer.
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Former Arsenal defender Konstantinos Mavropanos is now at Stuttgart (Image credit: Getty Images)
Still only 25, Mavropanos could be set to return to the Premier League with West Ham this summer, who is seen as the ideal alternative to Maguire. Physically imposing and comfortable on the ball, Mavropanos' stock has risen since moving to the Bundesliga.
Transfermarkt currently values him at £13m, though expect West Ham to pay more for him considering he still has two years remaining on his contract and the importance he has to Stuttgart's team.
The German side has finished 16th - just above the relegation zone - in the past two Bundesliga campaigns.
Mavropanos only made eight appearance for Arsenal in all competitions while at the club (Image credit: Getty Images)
Ryan is a staff writer for FourFourTwo, joining the team full-time in October 2022. He first joined Future in December 2020, working across FourFourTwo, Golf Monthly, Rugby World and Advnture's websites, before eventually earning himself a position with FourFourTwo permanently. After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism and Communications, Ryan earned a NCTJ qualification to further develop as a writer while a Trainee News Writer at Future.
