Dortmund keen on Mavropanos; Arsenal miss out on potential windfall

Arsenal loanee Konstantinos Mavropanos is the subject of transfer interest from a number of clubs across Europe, including Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund.

That report comes by way of Football.London Chief Arsenal reporter Chris Wheatley after the capital outlet understands that Dortmund – along with London top four rival West Ham – is keen on bringing in the Greek international on a full deal this summer.

Dinos Mavropanos attracting interest from European sides including Borussia Dortmund.#AFC have inserted a sell-on clause in the deal, with Stuttgart expected to demand in excess of £15m for the Greek international https://t.co/SciRtppuGs

— Chris Wheatley (@ChrisWheatley_) December 17, 2021

It is widely expected that Mavropanos will depart Arsenal this summer after the Gunners embarked on a recruitment drive this summer that saw them bring in both Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu. And with the first-choice center-back pair of Gabriel and White shining under Mikel Arteta this season, there is no room for the 24-year-old Greek international to log considerable minutes as a first-choice option.

But the issue comes by way of the fee Arsenal would be set to receive from an outright transfer to VfB Stuttgart this summer but also the value of the sell-on clause that was inserted into his contract.

Die Schwaben will only have to pay a paltry €3million to secure his services when they trigger their obligation to buy the center-back, meaning that Arsenal only stands to gain an initial ~£500,000 on their investment.

That, in conjunction with the 10% sell-on clause in his contract, means that if Stuttgart was to immediately sell up and send him to either Dortmund or West Ham in a deal that would possibly reach £18million would add only another £1.8million to the Gunners’ coffers. All told, Arsenal would stand to make only a combined £2.3million on their investment, highlighting their mismanagement of the center-back from the outset.

Greek international in fine form in Baden-Württemberg

While performances from Ben White and Gabriel have gone a long way to help Arsenal fans to forget that Dinos Mavropanos is still a club asset despite his near-guaranteed change of scenery in the summer, some may still think of it as an opportunity lost regarding the 24-year-old.

Mavropanos has been a revelation during his time in Germany, first with 2.Bundesliga outfit 1.FC Nürnberg and then now with VfB Stuttgart under boss Pellegrino Matarazzo.

The American manager continues to speak highly of the Greek center-back who he views as integral to everything both he and Sven Mislintat are striving to achieve at the Mercedes-Benz Arena;

“Dinos always shows in training that he can do magic. He combined heart, energy and determination. We need guys like him.”

Though he may not remain at Stuttgart long, his influence at the heart of the defense cannot be understated.