Borussia Dortmund defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos is reportedly set to become Arsenal’s first signing of the summer transfer window.
According to Kicker via The Sun, the Gunners and Borussia Dortmund are believed to have agreed a fee of £16 million for Sokratis Papastathopoulos. He has one year left on his contract at Signal Iduna Park.
Borussia Dortmund will allow Sokratis Papastathopoulos leave the club and he now wants to join Arsenal. The report goes on to mention the defender will travel to London to undergo his medical ahead of his proposed move to the Emirates Stadium.
Sokratis Papastathopoulos has already agreed personal terms with the English Premier League club. The central defender is expected to complete his medical this week and will then agree a three-year contract (via Sky Germany) with the north London club.
Unai Emery was appointed as Arsene Wenger’s successor last month. As Arsenal prepare for the new era under the former Sevilla and Paris St Germain manager, his first signing will be Sokratis Papastathopoulos.
Arsenal appointed Sven Mislintatas as their new head of recruitment in the middle of the last season. He arrived in England from Dortmund and since he joined the Gunners, Sokratis will be the third player to join Arsenal from the German club.
First, it was Henrik Mkhitaryan (via Manchester United) and then Gabon international Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang followed the Armenian to Arsenal in the January transfer window. The Sun claims that Mislintatas wants to strengthen the defence as he plans to add as many as four defenders this summer.
Signing Sokratis Papastathopoulos a good move for Arsenal?
Without a doubt, Sokratis Papastathopoulos’ addition to Arsenal will be a massive boost. They have just lost Per Mertesacker after the German announced his decision to retire and take up the coaching role at the academy.
In addition to this, Laurent Koscielny has been sidelined with a long-term injury. This leaves Arsenal and Emery with Shkodran Mustafi, Calum Chambers and Konstantinos Mavropanos as the other central defenders in the squad.
Sokratis’ experience of playing top level football will a boost for Arsena as their defence has been vulnerable in the last few seasons.
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