Defender Sokratis has fuelled speculation about Arsenal's links with a summer swoop for Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey.
The Gunners are planning a summer of alteration at the Emirates Stadium as head coach Mikel Arteta looks to try and put his own stamp on the squad he inherited from former Gunners chief Unai Emery.
And amongst the positions that Arteta has plans of bolstering is central-midfield, with the Gunners poised to lose on-loan Real Madrid man Dani Ceballos in the near future once his season-long loan deal expires.
Whilst a host of names have been linked with a move to the red corner of North London in recent weeks and months, reports linking Atletico star Partey have gathered pace at a rapid rate of knots over the past week or so.
There has been a series of mixed messages in Arsenal's pursuit of the Ghana international, who has been on Atletico's books since 2012, with his father revealing on Tuesday that the midfielder was locked in talks with the Gunners before his representatives quickly distinguished those claims.
However, whilst it remains unknown if talks have finally got underway, the midfield enforcer's name is not too far away from a switch to the Emirates.
Now, Gunners centre-back Sokratis has increased the pulse rate of Arsenal's supporters, dropping a huge hint about the Gunners' links with the 26-year-old midfielder.
In an Instagram live video, an Arsenal supporter asked the Greek defender, who has netted two goals this season, to smile if the club are going to sign Partey.
In response to that question, the centre-back, out-of-contract at the end of next season, smiled for the camera and it was captured by one Gunners supporter.
It will have no, doubt, boosted Arsenal supporters' hopes of landing the midfielder, who could be signed for £43.5million this summer.
