“They sent him out of the club for just £4.5M, and now he’s worth 344% more than that, i warned the board not to sell him, but i don’t even know why they later sold him”- Arsenal icon Ian Wright blasts Arsenal’s careless decision to sell 6 ft 4 “Rolls Royce” star

Arsenal: Arteta reject has seen his value rise by 344% after leaving

The Gunners got it all wrong by offloading their “Rolls-Royce”…

Arsenal’s revolution under Mikel Arteta has been a measured one, with the Spaniard having seemingly planned out the progression he sought to usher in which culminated in last year’s title push.

Having now reached the pinnacle of English football once again, whilst also competing in Europe’s elite competition, he will be hoping to take the next step and add many more major honours to his trophy cabinet, the likes of which they certainly have the squad and the philosophy to challenge for.

However, in his haste to return the Gunners back to where they belong, and where they had been absent from for so long under Arsene Wenger and later Unai Emery, there were perhaps a few missteps taken that saw some stars discounted too early, or their potential overlooked.

Whilst few could argue with the decisions to terminate both Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s contracts, given how their careers have dwindled since, with Konstantinos Mavropanos, that was far from the case.

In fact, since Edu and Arteta sanctioned his exit, they have only been made to rue such a move, as the defender has slowly rebuilt his reputation, returning to the top this summer.

How much did Konstantinos Mavropanos cost Arsenal?

Having been signed from Greek side PAS Giannina for a reported £1.8M, this deal was viewed as one for the future, boasting little risk, but immense reward should he reach the lofty potential bestowed upon him.

Wenger, who would retire just years after the acquisition, likely viewed him as the man set to underpin his new-look outfit in the years to come, or at the very least help usher in a successful new era after he had left.

In the end, neither of these would come to fruition, and the 25-year-old would depart having only made eight senior appearances.

Game time was seemingly forever limited during his stay in north London, despite former Arsenal favourite Ian Wright lauding him after a stellar debut: “I haven’t seen a performance like this, the anticipation, the pace, the awareness, from Arsenal for a long time. I don’t think we’ve got anything to lose by playing him. You could put him up against Diego Costa, he looked like he was up for the battle. He’s fearless and has the exuberance of youth. It might work.”

He would never get that opportunity to showcase whether such an outstanding first showing was merely a fluke, and with someone so talented, it felt wrong to keep them resigned to a backup role.

A string of loan spells would beckon for the Greek titan, first to Nurnberg before moving to the club he would eventually join permanently, Stuttgart.

It was here that the 20-cap colossus began to rebuild a career left stuttered by Wenger’s reluctance to allow him to shine, as he would go on to prove the Frenchman devastatingly wrong.

How much was Konstantinos Mavropanos worth at Arsenal?

Such was his potential, but ultimate lack of game time, Mavropanos would see little change in his value across the four years he spent with the Gunners.

Reaching an apex of just €3M (£2.6m), he would stay at that level up until that eventual permanent exit, where the German side proved how a little bit of faith can go a long way towards repaying a price tag.

It just so happened that the one they paid became inconsequential given the rewards he offered on the pitch, and the eventual remuneration they would receive from a fellow Premier League club.

How much did Arsenal sell Konstantinos Mavropanos for?

As Arsenal sought to usher out some of that talent without taking the risk themselves, his final loan spell to Stuttgart came with some questionable clauses. One being that, were they to avoid the drop, they would be forced to purchase the centre-back for a preset fee.

However, it just so happened that the sum in question amassed to a pitiful £4.5M, marking an exceptional bargain for a defender who had just aided their survival push and was only growing with each passing month.

The Athletic even showcased that it was widely recognised as a bargain deal, with the upfront costs marking some kind of tiny consolation. They noted: “While that final fee of £4.5m is considered to be below Mavropanos’ true market value, it is expected Arsenal will receive full payment up front, meaning they will get a small cash boost ahead of the summer transfer window.”

How much did West Ham sign Konstantinos Mavropanos for?

What also sweetened the deal slightly more was the 10% sell-on clause inserted too, suggesting that should Stuttgart cash in, at least the north London outfit would reap some added rewards.

Whilst they were likely therefore delighted to see him sold on for a hefty fee, the fact that it came just one year after they had sold him for such a tiny sum marked a mockery of Edu’s business, which is usually so pinpoint and impressive.

West Ham United were the beneficiaries of this deal, securing a rough and ready monster just £20M ready to tackle English football once again, hopefully with greater success and faith than he earned in his last stint.

Therefore, to emphasise that dramatic shift in value, Mavropanos has actually overseen a 344% increase since departing the Emirates.

Why is Konstantinos Mavropanos worth that much?

It is quite easy to explain why the 6 foot 4 star has enjoyed such a rise, as his steady progression throughout three Bundesliga seasons is there for all to see.

His first, during the 2020/21 term, saw him maintain a solid 6.95 average rating, which would improve to 7.13 the following year.

However, the 2022/23 campaign unsurprisingly marked the pinnacle and explains why the Hammers were so keen to strike a deal. His 7.26 average rating made the £50k-per-week ace Stuttgart’s second-highest-rated player, with that figure buoyed by his two goals, 83% pass accuracy, 2.2 interceptions and 3.5 clearances per game.

Content creator and Irons fan Will Lebeau clearly got it right when he branded the defender a “Rolls-Royce.”

These statistics should make it even more surprising that there were not more sides battling for such dominant services, and will likely have Edu kicking himself as Mavropanos’ career continues to reach new heights.