Arsenal defender Konstantinos Mavropanos has earned his first international cap with the Greek national team.
The 23-year-old has long looked like a promising youngster, but has found first-team football hard to come by at the Emirates Stadium.
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Mavropanos is now into his second loan spell away from Arsenal and it seems his more regular playing time with Stuttgart is proving of great benefit to him.
See below as Mavropanos can celebrate a debut for the Greek national side…
?? Dinos Mavropanos makes his national team debut for Greece today. https://t.co/tt6OUvB3HD
— Chris Wheatley (@ChrisWheatley_) March 28, 2021
Greece are taking on Honduras in a friendly match this afternoon.
Arsenal fans will hope the young centre-back can do well and come back to north London a better player.
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The Gunners could do with more options in defence, with David Luiz not the most convincing long-term option.
Mavropanos has a lot of potential and it seems that his time in the Bundesliga is aiding his development, which could perhaps soon earn him a place in Mikel Arteta’s squad as well as a role for his country.
Arsenal have more center backs than they need, and still the transfer ‘experts’ continue to speculate that the Gunners are still looking to bring in another defender this summer.
With Pablo Mari, Gabriel, David Luiz, Rob Holding, Calum Chambers, William Saliba, and Konstantinos Mavropanos available beginning in the summer, there is a massive glut.
Add to that Arsenal’s on-loan Daniel Ballard, who is doing really well at Blackpool. It seems there still needs to be a streamlining at the position, rather than new signings.
Except for Luiz, all of these players are young; with long careers ahead of them. Except for Luiz, none of them have proven both able to perform at a high level and stay healthy for a complete season.
Rob holding has been Arsenal’s best (young) performer at center back this season, with Gabriel next. Pablo Mari has done well, and Calum Chambers has played well at right back recently. David Luiz will likely get a contract extension, which suggests that Arsenal will part with one or more of their center backs.
William Saliba remains a question mark, with public statements that challenged Mikel Arteta’s characterization of his fitness and readiness. Mavropanos has played well on loan, but continues to struggle with injuries. Both players could be loaned again, but neither is likely to accept such a situation, so it will be first team or permanent move.
What makes the most sense is; Luiz, Holding, Gabriel, Mari, Saliba, and Chambers, with Mavropanos being the odd man out. Chambers has value in that he plays three positions; center back, right back and holding midfield, so he is more of a squad player than part of the center back rotation, and Luiz is a short-term stabilizing influence. Ballard will likely go on loan again, this time to a Championship side or European team.
It is also possible that Mavropanos will take Mari’s slot and Saliba will be let go, or Chambers could join Mavropanos on the auction block. It makes no sense for a team that needs significant investment; four first-team players at least, to compete for top four.
With a starting #10, a starting central midfielder, and a reserve left back and quality goal keeper all serious needs, keeping seven or eight center backs is a luxury the Gunners cannot afford.
The most likely scenario; in a balance of team needs and value in the market, has Saliba and Mavropanos leavingon permanent deals. Their sales might bring in just enough to solve the goalkeeping/left back issues.