Credit: Men's Health UK and Imago

Max Wilkins

Fri 10 April 2026 10:10, UK

West Ham United have improved under Nuno Espirito Santo, and Konstantinos Mavropanos has benefited from that as much as anyone in the view of Ray Winstone.

The Greece international hasn’t always been the most popular figure at the London Stadium, as he has been largely error-prone over the years.

That has seen various options be utilised in the backline over the years, but the 28-year-old has regularly muscled his way back in.

He has managed that again this season with the introduction of the Portuguese head coach, helping him to earn a starting role once again.

Mavropanos’ recent step up in quality at West Ham has certainly caught the eye of celebrity fan and actor Winstone, who can’t quite believe what he’s seen.

Ray Winstone blown away by Konstantinos Mavropanos turn around

The former Arsenal defender has often raised eyebrows in East London with his no-nonsense actions, sometimes landing him in hot water.

He has still been a regular for the Irons over the years, making a consistent number of appearances in each of his three campaigns in E20.

That hasn’t meant his performances have been consistently positive, with plenty of frustration surrounding his inclusion at times.

The Greek centre-half has managed to turn that feeling around, with Winstone sharing his thoughts live on talkSPORT on Friday.

He said: “Mavropanos, though the season, I was wondering what’s this guy doing? All of a sudden, I don’t know what Nuno’s done, but he’s turned him into a fantastic centre-back. He looks the part now.”

Mavropanos is now an important cog in the West Ham machine, and it is down to his own work under Nuno that has helped him to that level.

How good has Mavropanos been for West Ham?

The man signed from Stuttgart has certainly been a consistent performer in recent weeks and deserves his flowers in East London.

Arguably, his best recent performance came at the London Stadium against Manchester City as he netted an equaliser to seal an important point.

Mavropanos was great outside of his goal, as he also chipped in with 21 defensive contributions, including 10 clearances, four blocks and four interceptions.

He also won five duels and wasn’t dribbled past once as he showed just how good he can be at the heart of defence.

Winstone has spoken on behalf of all West Ham fans, as Mavropanos continues to prove himself in East London this season.