Borussia Dortmund star Sokratis has become one of the elite defenders in European football and many sources now believe that he is headed for the Emirates imminently.
Sven Mislintat, Arsenal’s new head of recruitment made the center back a key target to sign this summer after the Gunners poor defensive record this season, conceding more goals than any other top-6 club.
The 29-year-old Greek defender has been with Borussia Dortmund since 2013 and during this time, he has slotted into the first-team role perfectly. He made 198 appearances for the German side, scoring 3 goals for the side.
Sokratis has often been cited as a leader on the pitch and has captained Dortmund several times this season after being named the vice-captain of the team.
German source Bild claims that the defender is on his way to Arsenal for a fee around 20 million Euros and has agreed a 2-year contract, with the German side having already lined up a replacement for the player.
Given the current transfer climate, it looks like this could be an absolute bargain for the Gunners.
Sokratis looks to be joined by more defensive signings this transfer window, including Kalidou Koulibaly, although this transfer may struggle to go ahead after the club placed a £88m price tag on the player.
Many fans are wondering who will the incoming defender replace, with most fingers pointing at Shkodran Mustafi who had an inconsistent season including many high-profile mistakes.
Although defensive changes must be made, a lack of depth in defensive areas may mean that the new defender could come in and play instead of the injured Laurent Koscielny who looks to be ruled out until the November/December period.
With more and more certainty that Mikel Arteta will be the new Arsenal manager in the coming weeks, it looks likely that the former Arsenal captain will be having a large overhaul of the defense in the coming weeks.
