Bayer Leverkusen’s reported interest in Konstantinos Mavropanos is more than another name drifting through the summer rumour cycle. For West Ham, it cuts straight into the promise Daniel Kretinsky’s new era is supposed to represent.
BuliNews, citing Bild, reports that Leverkusen are considering Mavropanos as they look to strengthen the right side of their defence. TransferFeed also lists Bayer Leverkusen among the clubs tracking the Greek centre-back, with Borussia Dortmund, Newcastle United and Villarreal among the wider linked sides.
That matters because Mavropanos is not fringe stock. West Ham’s own player profile records him as the club’s 2025/26 Hammer of the Year, after a season in which he became one of the few senior players to emerge from relegation with greater authority rather than reduced standing.
Bayer Leverkusen are keen on West Ham defender Dinos Mavropanos, with manager Martinez Novell said to be a particular admirer of the player.
— West Ham Central (@WestHam_Central) June 26, 2026
The Defensive Sale West Ham Cannot Treat Like A Normal Exit
West Ham already have obvious sale candidates. Mateus Fernandes and Crysencio Summerville carry the sort of Premier League-market value that makes departure planning unavoidable after relegation. Those cases are painful but clean: elite young assets, major fees, top-flight suitors and a Championship reset that was always likely to force at least one premium exit.
Mavropanos is different. He is 28, under contract until 2028, 194cm, internationally established and already adapted to English football. More importantly, he plays in the area of the pitch where Championship promotion campaigns usually harden or unravel.
Nuno Espirito Santo can absorb one attacking sale if the replacement work is sharp. Losing the defensive reference point after Axel Disasi’s loan has already ended would create a different problem. It would force West Ham to rebuild the back line and chase promotion rhythm at the same time.
That is why this cannot be framed purely around market value. If Leverkusen advance, West Ham’s decision has to be based on promotion probability, not only accounting neatness.
Kretinsky’s Leverage Has To Show Up In This Negotiation
ReadWestHam has already argued that Kretinsky’s increased control should give West Ham a stronger hand when selling. The Mavropanos case is where that theory becomes visible.
If the club truly do not need to sell every serious asset, they should be able to draw a sharper line around one of the few players who would immediately raise the floor of a Championship XI. Mavropanos is not simply a defender with Bundesliga pedigree. He is the defender supporters have just voted as the side’s best player.
There is still a rational price point at which every relegated club listens. A huge offer from a Champions League-level Bundesliga side would create both player-pressure and squad-planning pressure. But a standard exploratory approach should not be enough to move West Ham off their position.
The stronger response is simple: Mavropanos stays unless Leverkusen make the type of bid that funds two starting-level defensive additions and leaves Nuno better, not just cheaper.
Nuno Needs Certainty Before The Market Starts Pulling At The Spine
This is also a recruitment-structure test. ReadWestHam has already covered why the club cannot allow the football operation to lag behind the market. Defensive uncertainty makes that warning sharper.
West Ham can spend weeks assessing incoming centre-backs, right-sided defenders and loan opportunities, but the best promotion teams usually begin with a spine the manager trusts. Mavropanos gives Nuno that.
The Leverkusen link should therefore sharpen internal planning rather than trigger panic. West Ham need a clear valuation, a player-retention message and a ready-made contingency list. Anything less invites rival clubs to test the same weak point repeatedly.
Kretinsky’s promise was never going to be judged by statements. It will be judged by the first serious call for a player West Ham cannot easily replace. Mavropanos may now be that call.
