Arsenal close in on deal to land Borussia Dortmund defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos
Experienced Greek stopper set to be first addition of new regime at Emirates under new boss Unai Emery
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ARSENAL are closing in on Borussia Dortmund star Sokratis Papastathopoulos, according to reports.
New Gunners boss Unai Emery will make the Greek defender the first recruit of the summer for a cut-price £16million,.
Arsenal were a shambles at the back last season and new head of recruitment Sven Mislintat wants to overhaul the defence with as many as four new defenders targeted.
The 29-year-old Greek international who has spent the last seven years playing in Germany is close to agreeing personal terms.
Arsenal initially tabled a £13m bid for the defender who has a year left to run on his current deal.
Mislantat is expected to meet Dortmund’s asking price to make Papastathopoulos the first signing of the post-Wenger era.
Sokratis has played for Dortmund for five years, joining from Werder Bremen, after playing for Genoa and AC Milan after leaving Greece.
He has 79 caps for the national team, representing them at Euro 2012 and the 2014 World Cup.
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Arsenal are looking to recruit players who are ready to go straight into the first-team next season and allow younger players to develop and be integrated over time.
Papasthopoulous will be the third former Dortmund player that Mislintat had signed for Arsenal since taking charge of recruitment at the Emirates last year.
Arsenal signed Pierre Emerick Aubameyang from Dortmund in Janaury and then took Henrikh Mkhitaryan from Manchester United as part of the Alexis Sanchez deal.