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Konstantinos Mavropanos appears to have discovered the ideal centre-back partner for West Ham United’s Premier League relegation battle in the shape of Axel Disasi.
The Hammers are on an impressive run of clean sheets. Four in their last nine league matches, the latest coming in last week’s 4-0 blitzing of Wolves.
Mavropanos converted a fine Jarrod Bowen assist at the other end of the field too. The first of a most unexpected of braces. That was the second time in three games that Konstantinos Mavropanos had converted a cross from the West Ham United captain.
Any changes to this team? I wouldn’t drop KWP any time soon 👀
Credit: GRV Media Konstantinos Mavropanos hails West Ham United captain Jarrod Bowen
When asked by the aforementioned Axel Disasi during a Q & A session on the club’s official YouTube channel, Mavropanos was unsurprisingly highly complimentary of the long-serving skipper.
Yet, there is another West Ham icon he wishes he could have shared a field with.
Photo by Jamie McDonald/Getty Images
“There are some good names to say. ‘Jazz’ is, I think, one of the legends because he’s been here for years, he is captain now, and he won the European trophy. Tomas [Soucek] as well,” says the Greece international.
“I would have loved to be able to play with Mark Noble as well. I met him, he’s around us sometimes and it’s good. He’s a really good guy and he was an amazing footballer.
“But because Jazz is here and we play with him, I think I will say him.”
Mavropanos joined West Ham from Stuttgart in 2023 for a fee of £17 million. Mark Noble had hung up his boots a year previously, although the club’s all-time Premier League appearance maker had taken up a sporting director role behind the scenes by then.
That is a role he still holds to this day.
Sergio Ramos and Robert Lewandowski earn Hammers shout-outs
Axel Disasi had the luxury of playing alongside Thiago Silva – one of the most decorated centre-halves of his generation – at parent club Chelsea. The France international has shared a field with Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, Lionel Messi and more, but wishes he could have met Real Madrid icon Sergio Ramos face to face.
“I would say Thiago Silva, but I already played with him. I will say Sergio Ramos [is one player I wish I had played with],” Disasi muses. “I mean, for me, as a reference, I put Thiago and him.
How much should West Ham demand for Mavropanos?
Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP via Getty Images
“So I would say Sergio Ramos. Sergio Ramos has been so long in the game. This guy was so crazy. He was so good.”
Mavropanos was linked with a return to Germany via Borussia Dortmund on Friday. He remembers his time at Stuttgart fondly, even if Robert Lewandowski managed to dunk on Mavropanos on six separate occasions.
“I will say three [really tough opponents]. When I was playing in Germany, I played against Lewandowski. What a goalscorer. Back then, Bayern were doing crazy things.
“Then I would say from the Premier League, [Erling] Haaland, obviously. Against a goalscorer like that, it’s really tough. He’s very strong. And the third one, I was really impressed when I saw him play live, Mbappe when we played against France.”
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