For all the praise that has come the way of West Ham United director Tim Steidten for the inspired additions of former Ajax duo Mohammed Kudus and Edson Alvarez, another of the German’s summer signings has a long way to go before he too can be considered excellent value for money.
Kudus already looks a bargain. A mercurial game-changer capable of lacing the boots of even Paolo di Canio and a prime-time Dimitri Payet.
Edson Alvarez, meanwhile, continues to show what West Ham’s gain is Chelsea’s loss, The Blues failing with a £51 million bid before the Mexican machine touched down a few miles down the road.
It’s fair to say, however, that the £19 million defender Steidten brought to the London Stadium is yet to create quite so many positive headlines as his claret-and-blue brothers. Konstantinos Mavropanos’ own Hammers career has been littered by errors, David Moyes singling out the Greek for one particularly ‘terrible’ mistake which gifted a point to Crystal Palace in December.
There was also a calamitous own goal against Burnley a fortnight ago.
Jury out on Mavropanos at West Ham United
Mavropanos, so impressive in the Bundesliga with Stuttgart, was linked with a move to Inter Milan before West Ham brought the one-time Arsenal youngster back to England.
And, as far as Nerazzuri legend Beppe Bergomi can tell, Inter got the better deal when they snapped up a 22-year-old Yann Bisseck from Danish outfit Aarhus for just £6 million.
“(Mavropanos) doesn’t convince me,” Bergamo tells Gazzetta dello Sport. “If I have to opt for a younger player, I prefer to do it with Bisseck, given that he has the right personality and confidence to play in the middle (of defence).”
‘Confidence’ has looked like an issue for Mavropanos throughout his second spell in England. Previously renowned for his buccaneering runs into midfield at Stuttgart, that Palace blunder – when Mavropanos passed the ball straight to Odsonne Edoaurd – is typical of a man who’s swagger appears to have deserted him under Moyes.
A turning point?
The 26-year-old was denied what would have been a morale-boosting winner against Aston Villa last time out. VAR adjudged the ball to have hit an arm on it’s way in.
But a much-improved display still felt like a step in the right direction, at least.
Kudus and Alvarez may have hit the ground running in England. But plenty of players have taken their time before hitting their stride, and that could yet prove to be the case with Konstantinos Mavropanos.
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