Why Arsenal should keep hold of Konstantinos Mavropanos

According to Goal (h/t Daily Mail), Arsenal defender Konstantinos Mavropanos is wanted by several clubs in Germany in the summer.

Mavropanos, 22, came through the ranks of Apollon Smyrnis’ youth system and joined Greece’s second division outfit PAS Giannina in 2016. Two years later, he was signed by Arsenal in January 2018 on the back of some impressive displays.

However, he featured in just 8 games for the Gunners before moving to Nuremberg last January on loan due to a lack of game time. He has impressed in Germany in his loan spell and has attracted attention from five different clubs, as per the report. However, Arsenal should not let the youngster leave in the upcoming transfer window.

The attacking unit has done a decent job so far, scoring 40 league goals. Club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has racked up 17 of those goals and remains to be their best player so far. However, the same cannot be said of their backline.

They have conceded 36 goals in 29 games which is poor according to their standards. Thus, with a shaky backline, Arsenal should not afford to lose their best players. The youngsters in the squad have done well so far and Mikel Arteta should manage to get the best out of them in the future.

Mavropanos – A future leader in Arsenal’s defence

Laurent Koscielny’s exit in the summer left a huge void to fill in and they brought in experienced campaigner David Luiz to lead the backline. However, the former Chelsea man has been prone to errors and seems to be far from his best. He is already 33 and could leave in the summer, with his contract coming to an end.

Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis have also failed to hit top form. They have been vulnerable at the back. Thus, keeping hold of Mavropanos would be a boost for the Gunners’ future if he develops well. The Greece U21 international has helped Nuremberg keep three clean sheets in 10 games and has improved a lot.

With the required experience and the right progress, Mavropanos could be a crucial player in Arteta’s squad for the future. He could also form a strong partnership with William Saliba, who is set to return from his loan spell with Saint-Etienne.

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Verdict

Mavropanos is just 22 and has a lot of room for development. And under the guidance of Arteta, he could flourish to become a leader at the back for Arsenal. Thus, they should fend off interest in the Greek youngster and keep hold of him for as long as possible.