Arsenal transfer news: Mikel Arteta 'admires' former defender as shock move considered

Arsenal have reportedly expressed a surprise interest in bringing West Ham United centre-back Konstantinos Mavropanos back to the Emirates Stadium this summer.

The Greece international is due to play Championship football in the 2026-27 campaign after the Irons finished 18th in the 2025-26 Premier League table.

West Ham have already seen Mateus Fernandes join Tottenham Hotspur in an £85m deal, and the Portugal international's big-money exit could trigger a mass exodus of notable names.

The futures of Crysencio Summerville and Jarrod Bowen have been hot-button topics, while Mavropanos should also be given the chance to continue in the top flight.

According to Sky Sports News, Arsenal are 'admirers' of their former defensive protege, who was one of Arsene Wenger's final Gunners signing in January 2018.

Arsenal 'admirers' of ex-defender Dinos Mavropanos

Arsenal acquired Mavropanos in a £1.8m deal from PAS Giannina in 2018, and he made seven Premier League appearances for the club across the 2017-18 and 2018-19 Premier League seasons.

However, Mavropanos was sent off on just his third appearance against Leicester City, and his only other Arsenal appearance came in a Europa League draw with Standard Liege in December 2019.

The 28-year-old was sent out on loan to Nurnberg and Stuttgart before joining the latter permanently in 2022, one year before a £17m switch to West Ham after he made a name for himself in Germany.

Mavropanos has since scored four goals in 103 matches for the Hammers, three of which came in the 2025-26 Premier League campaign, in which he started 27 top-flight games.

The report adds that 'multiple' Premier League and European clubs are eyeing a deal for Mavropanos, whose West Ham contract runs out in the summer of 2028.

Should Arsenal re-sign Dinos Mavropanos?

Arsenal's desire to re-sign Mavropanos would not have been a surprise development a few years ago, when William Saliba was only just establishing himself and the Greek was shining for Stuttgart.

Mavropanos has since proven himself a competent Premier League defender, and Arsenal may be sensing a market opportunity given his contract situation and West Ham's relegation from the top flight.

However, sporting director Andrea Berta is better off targeting a pure right-back to replace the injury-plagued Ben White; Mavropanos has played out wide on a few occasions but is far more comfortable centrally.

Arsenal's pursuit of the Greece international could also hint that Mikel Arteta wants Cristhian Mosquera to feature as a right-back in a post-White world, with Mavropanos then playing backup to Saliba.

If so, a cut-price deal can be viewed in a positive light, but Mavropanos should also not accept a backup role after enjoying weekly Premier League starts for the last two seasons.