Arsenal have confirmed the signing of Greece international defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos on a long-term deal from Borussia Dortmund.
Sokratis becomes the third new signing at the Emirates this summer after right-back Stephan Lichtsteiner and goalkeeper Bernd Leno joined earlier this summer as Unai Emery continues his overhaul of the Gunners’ back-line.
He is also the third player head of recruitment Sven Mislintat has signed from his time at Borussia Dortmund after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan both joined in January.
The Independent revealed exclusively at the start of May that the 30-year-old was one of a whole new back five Emery and Mislintat wanted and with three of those five now completed, there are only two more remaining.
“Greek international Sokratis Papastathopoulos has joined us on a long-term contract for an undisclosed fee,” a statement on Arsenal’s website read.
“The 30-year-old arrives from Borussia Dortmund, where he won two Bundesliga titles and one German Cup. The hugely-experienced defender lists Werder Bremen, AC Milan, Genoa and AEK Athens among his previous clubs.
“Sokratis, who will wear the number five shirt for us, also has vast experience on the international stage, making 79 appearances for Greece. This deal is subject to the completion of regulatory processes.”
Like at Dortmund in 2013, Sokratis, Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan have all joined Arsenal in the same year and the Greek admitted he had spoken to his former teammates a number of times before agreeing to join.
“I spoke [to them] a lot times,” he added. “They said to me the best things about this club, that it is one big family and of course they also called me not every day but a lot of times telling me to come here.
“Yes it’s a little bit [strange] but it’s also very beautiful that I’ve come to one team but I also have two players who I was together with for a lot of years. I know them both very well and I’m very happy.”
