Arsenal are exploring a move to re-sign Dinos Mavropanos, the Greece international centre-back who was relegated from the Premier League with West Ham at the end of the season.

The 28-year-old is attracting attention from multiple clubs following West Ham's drop to the Championship, with the London Stadium outfit expected to offload several players in what could amount to a significant clearance sale.

A familiar face at the Emirates

Mavropanos is no stranger to Arsenal. The Gunners signed him from Greek side PAS Giannina for £1.8 million in January 2018, making him one of Arsene Wenger's final acquisitions.

His time at the Emirates was limited — he made just seven first-team appearances in his opening two seasons — and he was sent on loan to Nurnberg in Germany for regular playing time. Stuttgart then took him on loan for two further seasons before making his signing permanent for up to £5 million in the summer of 2023.

His Premier League move came shortly after, with West Ham paying £21 million to bring him to east London. Despite the club's relegation, Mavropanos enjoyed a standout personal campaign, winning West Ham's Player of the Year award and scoring three crucial goals during the run-in as Nuno Espirito Santo's side fought to avoid the drop.

Arsenal's centre-back picture

According to a report by Sky Sports, cited by Mirror, Arsenal are weighing up a return for Mavropanos and have monitored his development closely since he departed the club.

The Gunners currently possess a group of right-footed centre-backs in William Saliba, Cristhian Mosquera, and Ben White. However, White is widely expected to leave this summer after falling down the defensive pecking order, which could open the door for a familiar face to return.

Arsenal would face competition from European clubs also tracking Mavropanos, meaning any deal would require moving swiftly.

The Arteta connection

One of Mavropanos's goals during West Ham's survival push came against Manchester City — a result that boosted Arsenal's title hopes as they went on to lift the Premier League trophy in May.

Manager Mikel Arteta, speaking at the time of that goal, offered warm words for the defender, describing him as a 'very, very good character' — a sentiment that may now inform Arsenal's thinking as they consider bringing him back to north London.