Exclusive: ‘We can get even better’ - Konstantinos Mavropanos excited by West Ham potential ahead of Backa Topola match

West Ham have had a promising start to the season both domestically and in Europe, but new signing Konstantinos Mavropanos believes they can get even better.

The Hammers, who currently sit ninth in the Premier League - a few points shy of the European spots - were unbeaten in their first five league games and even topped the table at one stage.

Jarrod Bowen has been on fire in attack for David Moyes’ side and broke a Premier League record as he became the first player to score in the first six away games of the season.

The club are flying high in the Europa League - despite their 17-game unbeaten run in Europe coming to an end - and go into the penultimate matchweek at the top of Group A, with a win against TSC Backa Topola in Serbia on Thursday guaranteeing a place in the next round.

Last season’s Europa Conference League winners have taken their game up a level this campaign compared to last when they were flirting with a domestic relegation battle, and defender Mavropanos believes they have even greater potential.

“If you see the quality of the players and, of course, the results, you can see that we have a lot of potential yet,” he exclusively told TNT Sports.

“We have the potential to get even better because the team and the players are at a high level and if we work more on that we can make it.”

Mavropanos, formerly of Arsenal, returned to London to join West Ham in the summer and was one of four big-money summer arrivals to come through the door at London Stadium after the £105m departure of Declan Rice.

The Greece international, who previously played for Stuttgart in Germany, said he didn’t have to think twice about joining the East London club when the call came.

“It’s nice to be back [in London], I was always saying that I like London and when you have the opportunity to come to West Ham it doesn’t matter about the city,” he explained.

“They [West Ham] were one of the teams that came in for me and when I had this offer I didn’t have to think a lot about it because they are the Conference League winners and to be back in the Premier League was a good step for me.

“Doing this for West Ham was a simple movement.”

On returning to the Premier League, Mavropanos added: “Yes, it was about the timing as well. I didn’t have, in my mind, to come directly to the Premier League after Stuttgart but it was a big chance for me.

“The level of the team, the size of the club and the goals that they have as a group made my thoughts easier.”

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TSC Backa Topola v West Ham will be live on TNT Sports 1 with coverage from 17:00 UK time on Thursday, November 30, with kick-off at 17:45.

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