Summary EXWHUEmployee has revealed the latest name West Ham are in talks to sign. The player could cost just £21m and would be a serious upgrade for the team. He trumps a certain Kurt Zouma in a wide array of important metrics.
West Ham United are planning a summer swoop for a defender who is thriving in a major European league.
What’s the latest West Ham transfer news?
According to the ever-reliable EXWHUEmployee, West Ham are targeting Konstantinos Mavropanos and have held talks with the Stuttgart defender.
The respected insider took to social media to say: "As we exclusively broke on our Patreon last night [Tuesday]. West Ham are in talks with Stuttgart for former Arsenal defender and Greek international Konstantinos Mavropanos. We will bring you more as we have it."
The club’s renewed search for a centre-back has become a priority after Harry Maguire’s proposed £30m move to the London Stadium was abandoned.
Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…
Alongside £21m-rated Mavropanos, Bayer Leverkusen’s Odilon Kossounou is also on the West Ham radar according to further reports, as David Moyes searches to bolster his defensive options.
What does Konstantinos Mavropanos offer?
English football fans will remember Mavropanos for an uninfluential and scattered stint at Arsenal, in which he forged just eight appearances for the senior team and failed to pinpoint any notable consistency.
The Greek actually featured on more occasions for the U21 side and was sent out on two loans. The second of those came with Stuttgart in 2020, and in Germany, he has flourished into a wonderfully accomplished presence at the back.
In total, he has played 89 times for Stuttgart in all competitions, and he sealed a permanent move to the club in May 2022 after avoiding relegation.
On the ball, he is an embodiment of a modern-day defender – ridiculously comfortable and composed, and this is mirrored through his rank within the best 10% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for shot-creating actions per 90, progressive carries per 90, progressive passes per 90, and successful take-ons per 90.
These technical tendencies are then complemented by dominant defensive intelligence and positioning, as he sits within the top 5% for interceptions and aerials won per 90, as well as the highest 19% for blocks per 90.
His former manager Pellegrino Matarazzo has showered the £13k-per-week titan with praise, saying: “He always shows in training that he can produce magic. He's got heart, energy, and determination. We need guys like him. "He's our gladiator – a monster in terms of physique.”
This acclaim has been echoed by ex-Stuutgart sporting director Sven Mislintat, who added: “Dinos is a prototype of everything this team stands for: always working, with a desire to win and to constantly improve.”
From a West Ham perspective, the 19-cap international could be a crucial addition to the squad, and he could be a necessary upgrade on Kurt Zouma.
The Frenchman is a solid defender, and undoubtedly a useful component of squad depth, whilst also possessing a commendable amount of experience.
But, his mobility and patchy fitness record are two issues that can be exploited and to rely upon the 6 foot 3 mountain in yet another gruelling season of balancing multiple competitions is hugely risky.
In two seasons for the Hammers, he has already missed 22 games through injury, and in Mavropanos, Moyes would possess a more dynamic, technically astute, and equally physical option.
The 25-year-old outperforms Zouma for progressive passes per 90 (5.00 vs 1.37), progressive carries per 90 (1.32 vs 0.14), tackles per (1.92 vs 0.33), interceptions per 90 (2.52 vs 1.28), and blocks per 90 (1.50 vs 0.85).
Zouma’s passing statistics are understandably low, given Moyes’ low-possession, rigidly deep, counter-attacking style of play, but you would expect his defensive numbers to boom. But Mavropanos trumps his peer in all metrics and on paper, it would be an extremely logical transfer.
