West Ham United have opened talks with VfB Stuttgart as they pursue a deal for Greek centre-half Konstantinos Mavropanos, as per ExWHUEmployee.
The Hammers have begun scouring the market for other defensive options after seeing their move for Harry Maguire fall through.
West Ham agreed a deal worth £30 million with Manchester United to sign Maguire, with David Moyes a long-term admirer of the struggling centre-back.
Personal terms were reportedly not a problem, but the move failed to materialise with the player waiting for a pay-off from the Red Devils, which never came.
Rumour had it the player gave verbal consent to the transfer, but Maguire has cleared the air stating he never had an agreement with West Ham.
The long-drawn-out transfer saga between all parties will end with Maguire remaining at Old Trafford, which will come as a blow to Moyes.
However, West Ham are eager to move on from Maguire and have set their sights on a former Arsenal defender Mavropanos.
The Greece international spent two years on loan at Stuttgart before the Bundesliga club made his exit from the Emirates Stadium permanent for around €3m last summer.
Having made just eight appearances for the Gunners, Mavropanos has accumulated significant top-flight experience after featuring 89 times for the Germans over the last three years.
The 25-year-old has endured his fair share of injury problems, but he managed 34 appearances across all competitions last term, contributing three goals and an assist.
One of his telling contributions came in the first leg of Stuttgart’s 6-1 aggregate Bundesliga play-off victory over Hamburger SV.
Now valued at €15m on Transfermarkt, a return to the Premier League could be on the cards for Mavropanos, who has impressed during his time in the German top flight.
Meanwhile, former Nottingham Forest forward Jesse Lingard has returned to West Ham and is using their training facility to keep up his fitness.
The 30-year-old has not found a new suitor since leaving City Ground, and Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth says West Ham are assessing the possibility of resigning the Englishman on a short-term deal.
