Sven Mislintat has made his first move as Arsenal’s new head scout: signing Konstantinos Mavropanos from Greek side PAS Giannina for £2m.
Mislintat has links with the Greek market after finding 18-year-old Argiris Kampetsis from Olympiacos and helping him sign for Dortmund last summer and he may have unearthed another gem in Mavropanos.
Although the 20-year-old centre-back isn’t exactly the big name signing Arsenal fans consistently crave, he’s a strong addition for the future.
As Football.London points out, this is what Arsene Wenger used to try and do: build for the future with exciting new prospects. However, in recent seasons, it’s very much felt as if the Frenchman, along with former head scout Steve Rowley, was just plugging holes to stop us from sinking.
As Football.London say, the 68-year-old’s transfer dealings have become ‘stale and outdated’.
Now, with Mislintat on board, it genuinely feels as if we’re building something.
Although Mavropanos has been in first team training, it’s expected that the Greece u21 international will go out on loan to Werder Bremen soon.
At the age of 20, he’s not a child, so shouldn’t have to wait five years to see him in action.
Mislintat, who’s known as Diamond Eyes, unearthed the likes of Shinji Kagawa, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Robert Lewandowski.
There’s absolutely every reason to be optimistic.