Konstantinos Mavropanos wanted by European giants in West Ham exit twist
Konstantinos Mavropanos was wanted by three European clubs this summer, West Ham Zone understands.
Mavropanos was linked with a West Ham exit as Graham Potter tried to rebuild the London Stadium side ahead of the new campaign.
It seemed like a real possibility that the 27-year-old could move on, with the ex-Brighton man keen to free up finances for new signings.
However, Mavropanos remained in East London, and has impressed since Nuno Espirito took over from Potter in the dugout.
AC Milan among three clubs that wanted Konstantinos Mavropanos from West Ham
West Ham ultimately chose to keep Mavropanos around, but it definitely was not due to a lack of interest.
West Ham Zone has learned that European giants Milan, as well as Borussia Dortmund and Villarreal, wanted to sign the Greek defender in the summer transfer window, with the latter even making a bid.
The interest in Mavropanos is understandable; on his day, he is a handful, and he was described as a “monster” by his former Stuttgart manager, Pellegrino Matarazzo.
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Mavropanos is now an undroppable for Nuno Espirito Santo
It is a good job that the Hammers did not sell the Greece international, as he has been a key figure for Nuno since he arrived in E20.
His performance in the 2-0 loss to Arsenal was exceptional despite being on the losing side, and he is surely now one of the first names on the teamsheet.
Nuno can rely on Mavropanos to step up and lead his defence in a similar way to Nikola Mikolenkovic in his time at Nottingham Forest.
The Hammers defender profiles similarly to the Serbian star and even beats him in several key metrics so far this season, per Sofascore, despite his side’s poor start to the campaign.
The three clubs may return when the transfer window reopens, but the Irons will surely reject any advances for the defender.
He has become a pivotal figure under the new boss, and an exit cannot be sanctioned, even if the East Londoners receive any bids for his services.
The chance to have signed him may have passed, and the aforementioned teams may have to look elsewhere to bolster their backlines.
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