The Gunners made a huge mistake by selling their “Rolls-Royce”…
Mikel Arteta’s revolution at Arsenal has been gradual, with the Spaniard appearing to have planned out the progression he wished to usher in, culminating in last year’s title push.
After returning to the peak of English football while still competing in Europe’s elite tournament, he will be hoping to take the next step and add many more major honors to his trophy cabinet, the likes of which they surely have the team and mindset to fight for.
However, in his zeal to return the Gunners to where they belong, and where they had been absent for so long under Arsene Wenger and later Unai Emery, he may have made a few mistakes that saw some talents rejected too soon, or their potential underestimated.
While few could dispute with the choices to terminate the contracts of Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, considering how their careers have deteriorated afterwards, such was not the case with Konstantinos Mavropanos.
In fact, since Edu and Arteta approved his departure, the defender has slowly restored his reputation, eventually returning to the top this summer.
How much did Arsenal pay for Konstantinos Mavropanos?
Signed from Greek side PAS Giannina for a reported £1.8 million, this deal was considered as one for the future, with little risk but enormous return if he lives up to the lofty promise bestowed upon him.
Wenger, who would retire just a few years later, most likely saw him as the guy who would underpin his new-look outfit in the years ahead, or at the very least assist usher in a prosperous new age after he went.
In the end, neither of them would happen, and the 25-year-old would leave with only eight senior appearances.
Despite longtime Arsenal fan Ian Wright praising him after a stellar debut: “I haven’t seen a performance like this, the anticipation, the pace, the awareness, from Arsenal in a long time.” I don’t believe we have anything to lose by playing him. You could throw him up against Diego Costa, and he seemed ready for the fight. He’s fearless and full of youthful vigor. It may work.”
He’d never get the chance to show whether such an incredible first performance was a fluke, and it felt terrible to keep someone so bright in a supporting part.
A run of loan periods beckoned for the Greek titan, first to Nurnberg and then to Stuttgart, the club he would eventually join permanently.
It was here that the 20-cap colossus began to rebuild a career derailed by Wenger’s unwillingness to let him shine, and he would go on to prove the Frenchman disastrously wrong.
At Arsenal, how much was Konstantinos Mavropanos worth?
Mavropanos’ value changed little over his four years with the Gunners due to his promise but ultimately lack of game time.
He would stay at that level until his final permanent leave, when the German side demonstrated how a little bit of faith can go a long way towards repaying a price tag.
It just so happened that the one they paid became insignificant in light of the benefits he provided on the field and the eventual remuneration they would receive from another Premier League club.
What did Arsenal get for Konstantinos Mavropanos?
His final loan spell at Stuttgart came with some questionable clauses as Arsenal looked to usher out some of that quality without taking the risk themselves. One of them is that if they avoid the drop, they will be obliged to purchase the center-back for a certain amount.
However, the cash in issue had accumulated to a pathetic £4.5M, representing an excellent value for a defender who had just supported their survival push and was only expanding with each passing month.
The Athletic even demonstrated that it was universally recognized as a steal, with the upfront expenditures serving as a minor consolation. According to the report: “While that final fee of £4.5m is considered to be below Mavropanos’ true market value, it is expected Arsenal will receive full payment up front, meaning they will get a small cash boost ahead of the summer transfer window.”
What did West Ham pay for Konstantinos Mavropanos?
The inclusion of a 10% sell-on provision sweetened the transaction even more, implying that if Stuttgart cashes in, the north London outfit would benefit as well.
While they were probably pleased to see him sold for a large sum, the fact that it happened just one year after they had sold him for such a small sum made a joke of Edu’s company, which is typically so precise and spectacular.
West Ham United benefited from this transaction, obtaining a rough and ready behemoth for just £20 million, ready to take on English football once more, hopefully with more success and faith than he garnered in his previous spell.
To emphasize the huge shift in value, Mavropanos has overseen a 344% gain since leaving the Emirates.
Why is Konstantinos Mavropanos so valuable?
It is simple to understand why the 6 foot 4 star has risen so quickly, as his steady growth over three Bundesliga seasons is visible to all.
During his first term, he maintained a solid 6.95 average rating, which improved to 7.13 the next year.
However, the 2022/23 season was predictably the apex, which explains why the Hammers were so eager to negotiate a deal. Stuttgart’s second-highest-rated player was his 7.26 average rating, which was boosted by his two goals, 83% pass accuracy, 2.2 interceptions, and 3.5 clearances per game.
Will Lebeau, a content creator and Irons supporter, obviously got it right when he called the defender a “Rolls-Royce.”
These numbers should make it even more astonishing that there weren’t more sides vying for such dominant services, and will almost certainly have Edu cursing himself as Mavropanos’ career soars.
Leave a Reply