Arsenal close to signing Dortmund defender Sokratis

Bengaluru, May 29: Arsenal are closing in on Borussia Dortmund star defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos, according to reports in England as well as Germany.

New Gunners boss Unai Emery is close to making the Greek defender the first recruit of the summer for a cut-price £16million, says the BBC's David Ornstein who is one of the most reliable journalists especially in matters related to London clubs.

The Gunners 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 with the north London club.

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.

The Greek international has played for Borussia 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.

The Gunners 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 with Manchester United.

Papasthopoulous is 29 years of age but still has a few years left in him and a price tag of £16million is really not something to bother about for a 29-year-old.

His experience at the back will surely help the porous Arsenal backline to improve to a great extent and Unai Emery needs that in order to revive them.