Arsenal strike deal to sign Sokratis, but announcement to be made in July
Arsenal strike deal to sign Sokratis, but announcement to be made in July
Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund have agreed upon the transfer of Greek defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos to London, but according to European media, the deal won’t be announced until July.
Sokratis Papastathopoulos, the 30-year old commanding Greek centre-back, has one year remaining on his Borussia Dortmund contract, but he decided to leave the Germans and seek a move abroad. After receiving two concrete offers from Manchester United and Arsenal, Papastathopoulos had time to weigh up his options, eventually opting to join the latter. However, despite Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund agreeing on a fee of around 16 million euros for Papastathopoulos’ services, the transfer is yet to be unveiled.
Recently, English newspaper The Telegraph and German outlet Kicker published articles stating that while the two clubs have reached an agreement for the transfer of Papastathopoulos, the move won’t become official until July 1. The reason behind the delay is Borussia’s desire to wait for the new financial year to seal the deal.
Last week, Charalampos Papastathopoulos, the father of Sokratis, gave an interview to Greek radio, revealing that his son is located in London and has practically signed a 3+1 contract with Arsenal.
During the 2017/2018 season, Papastathopoulos made 30 Bundesliga appearances with Borussia Dortmund, scoring two goals. His market value is rated at 22 million by Transfermarkt.
by Shaun Nicolaides
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