Friday, March 29, 2024

Confirmed: Arsenal sign Sokratis Papastathopoulos

Arsenal have confirmed the signing of Greece international Sokratis Papastathopoulos from Borussia Dortmund.

The centre-back had one year left on his contract and moves to the Emirates for a fee in the region of £16 million. He will wear the number 5 shirt.

Sokratis started his career in 2005 with AEK Athens and has since played for Genoa, AC Milan and Werder Bremen. He was signed by Dortmund in 2013 and went on to make over 130 appearances at the Westfalenstadion.

Arsenal’s head of recruitment, Sven Mislintat, has been charged with rebuilding Unai Emery’s defence. It’s hoped that Sokratis will help develop young compatriot Konstantinos Mavropanos while also bringing vital experience in the absence of the injured Laurent Koscielny.

Working to a relatively slim budget, the Gunners have already recruited veteran Swiss defender Stephan Lichtsteiner on a free from Juventus and keeper Bernd Leno from Bayer Leverkusen.

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Anonymarse

Awesomeness

TommyGun

Did not see that one coming.

Fabulous

Sensing some sarcasm, but on the contrary, isn’t it nice we’re linked with a player and we actually see it thru? Kinda enjoying it for once.

Timack

Welcome to the Arsenal Paspatathopoulos!! 3rd rock bought afta Lichsteiner and Leno, Torreira loading

aberinkula

£16m for a 30 yr old defender? Never in Wenger’s day, I tell you.

aberinkula

Should note: I’m not disapproving – he looks like an absolute bastard. Bring it.

Goonerink

Isnt he 29 until…?
Also today’s budgets means it equals out to about 5m on average during wengers 2 decades

Barnacle

He’s 30 now because he turned 30 recently. No more 29.

Super Joshi

What kind of sorcery is this?

goonerang

Why isn’t he happy about it? :/

Anonymarse

That is his happy face

Neil

He looks like he was out all night on a bender and rushed to the training ground for the pic.

Tas_Gunner

Wow..one of the better unveiling video that.Clearly we are buying for here and now.No problem with that,hopefully he will have the same impact on Holding,mavro that we expect Lichtsteiner to have on Hector.Now onto Torreira and that’s most of the main holes plugged! #COYFG

myrtle

They’ve had plenty of time to make it..

indiegooner

What are you moaning about?

Don’t bother, I’ll show myself out..

scam69

WTF where did that come from, totally out of left field etc etc

Welcome to the revolution Sokratis

Jules

new manager, new CB, new RB, new GK, possibly a couple new midfielders. no idea how next season will go but for the first time in years there’s change – something truly new. I’m so excited for the new season. #COYG

iamgunna

They’ve already assigned him a squad number (#5). Interesting that the same can’t be said for Leno yet.

Jimbo Jones

That is an interesting point!

Anonymarse

Maybe the Leno signing was a hoax

Jimbo Jones

Or maybe the club are open to Cech leaving this summer

Magneto

Welcome to the Arsenal, Sokratis.

Jim

https://youtu.be/LJBQCm2zEqU

I’ll just leave this here

Rich

Pretty happy with this, we needed some experience with Koscielny’s injury, £16mill seems like a reasonable price… and like Lichtsteiner and Leno he already speaks fluent English.

Neuni

Reasonable price? Could have got Evans for 3mill and he speaks fluent english as well

Timack

Welcome to the Arsenal Paspatathopoulos!! 3rd rock bought afta Lichsteiner and Leno. Torreira loading…

Faisal Narrage

“The unknown future rolls toward us. I face it, for the first time, with a sense of hope. Because if a Head Coach, an Emery, can learn the value of early transfer purchases, maybe we can too.” – Sarah Connor.

Dun dun dun, DAH-DUN……

Lobster

Big Papa!

Kinghenrythe14th

What a surprise signing; I never would have guessed we were after him at all!
Such a well kept secret… ?

Anonymarse

It will be fun listening to the crowd trying to sing his name

Glocken

‪Imagine playing right wing against Arsenal next season and you look up & you see Kolasinac & Sokratis playing against you. Love it.‬

Anonymarse

Well people kept complaining that we weren’t intimidating enough

James

Christ, what does he look like when he’s had bad news? Expression of a pallbearer

James

Although he can stare like that at the opposition all day long if he likes!

bossman bill

this made me laugh a lot, thanks

BassArse
Never Happen

Will happen.

But first welcome to Sokratis.
16m seems a bit pricey but it’s the
market these days and if he gives us
3 good seasons it’s a good deal

Hantal

One good season will mean top four, the champions league money will cover his cost. I doubt this new arsenal will keep players until their contracts expire when the quality drops so all is well

Big Dave

The fans wanted the board to sign a big name and we’ve certainly got that!

My Name is Jeff

If Sokratis goes with his last name on the back of the shirt, we are going to have to break out the Oxlade-Chamberlain Memorial Font…

Prakhar Tripathi

Papasthathopoulos

I finally did it guys!

Gunnermite

No you didn’t. Keep trying tho

shokim

Anyone else thinks he looks like DB52 2.0?

ArcticMarty

We are fucking bossing this window

Ozenal

Like the Lewis Ambrose review of Sokratis. Makes me think that purchase of a player like Torreira infront of Sokratis is even more important. Someone who can receive the ball under pressure and still able to redistribute.

Ozenal

The youtube videos of Torreira show him to be a cross between Arteta’s strength and shielding, and Cazorla’s two footed dribbling and ability to pass forward.

Leftie

Papa looks like he loves having strikers for breakfast. Love it!

Jean Ralphio

I hope we can integrate better than Everton

wash_dc_gunner

THIS IS ARSENAL!

MateKiddleton

A transfer window where we actually address the defence? What is this!

Big Mad Andy

He looks like a right Papastard

iamtheantisp*r

I’m enjoying this off-season. While we still need to see how the team comes together, it’s nice to have transfers working in what feels like a proper and timely manner.

Cyprus The Immortal Gooner

In today’s market, 16m for a player of Sokratis status is a steal. He played in the highest level (Milan, Borussia etc) and he has 79 caps for Greece. Our timing was perfect because he had only 1 year left on his contract.

santori

Yet another ex Dortmund has been who has seen better days. Uninspired. Even if we were to load on an older player to cover Koscielny, there should be better options. He has had an average season, looks overweight and looks pastsellbydate. Mslintat cashing in on old contacts again at our expense. BUT not that it matters to some fans who have the wool easily pulled over their eyes bc they like to see this as reinvention. Thus far we look like an average slightly above mid-table squad. PEA aside (maybe Torreiro) none of the Mslintat era signings would be anywhere… Read more »

santori

16m?

How much did Wenger buy Koscielny for? (even if adjusted for inflation, still worth the extra dosh)

This guy is old and fat.

Good deal? Please.

LVACC

Then go to the facilities of the Club and tell them how can you do better than Mislintat. I’ll wait

Fireman Sam

I’m liking this new Arsenal so far

Jo magpie

This is mpressive character acting by Jake Gyllenhaal!

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