West Ham United agree to pay millions in add-ons for Mavropanos transfer, long-term contract to be signed
West Ham have agreed to pay an initial £17.1million fee for Stuttgart defender Konstantinos Mavropanos, plus a further £4.2million in add-ons, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Writing via his Daily Briefing on Substack on Sunday (20 August), Romano reported that after a move for Manchester United’s Harry Maguire collapsed, the Hammers moved to sign 25-year-old Greece international Mavropanos.
It is understood that the ex-Arsenal centre-back will sign a “long-term contract” at the London Stadium after West Ham beat two Italian clubs in the race for his signature.
Good signing?
We’re on the fence about this signing.
Mavropanos was a mainstay for a Stuttgart side that was almost relegated from the Bundesliga last season.
They have to beat Hamburg in a relegation play-off to avoid dropping into Germany’s second tier.
Mavropanos did play a major role in that play-off, scoring one goal and helping keep one clean sheet in a 6-1 aggregate victory over two legs.
He feels like a massive step down from Maguire.
Although the England defender has had his issues at Old Trafford in the last couple of years, he’s still been world-class on the international stage and he did have some good times at Man United too.
He’d have been a coup but Mavropanos, who’s already had a shot in the Premier League but failed to shine at Arsenal, seems like a second-rate Tim Steitden signing.
Maybe it’s harsh to compare him but we’re not thrilled about this to be honest.
In other West Ham news, the Irons have reached “total agreement” on another new signing after Tim Steidten pushed on that deal as well.