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Arsenal transfer news: Sven Mislintat criticised over Sokratis Papastathopoulos signing
SOKRATIS PAPASTATHOPOULOS is not the player to take Arsenal’s defence to the next level, claims German football expert Raphael Honigstein.
Arsenal target Papastathopoulos shows off defensive skills
Borussia Dortmund centre-back Sokratis is expected to be Unai Emery’s first signing since replacing Arsene Wenger at Arsenal.
The Greece international is to cost the Gunners £16million and a deal could be completed this week.
If Sokratis does indeed join, it would be the third ex-Borussia Dortmund player new head of recruitment Sven Mislintat, who used to be a scout for the Bundesliga club, has brought to Arsenal.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang signed from Dortmund in January, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan also arriving, via Manchester United.
If you look at the signings so far, with the exception of Mavropanos, he’s brought in three former Dortmund players
And Honigstein does not think Sokratis is the quality of player Mislintat was expected to attract to Arsenal.
“I don’t think he’s a player who is necessarily going to leave a huge void in terms of the (Dortmund) fans’ affection,” Honigstein told ESPN FC.
“They liked his attitude, he’s a fighter, he’s a warrior but not to great on the ball. By and large, not the kind of player that gets you excited.
“Very tidy, very energetic, tough in a tackle, but I’m not sure he’s necessarily going to take the Arsenal defence to the next level.
“It’s a little bit underwhelming if you think that Sven Mislintat, the former Dortmund scout, was brought in to identify talent that everyone else has overlooked.
“Really, if you look at the signings so far, with the exception of (Konstantinos) Mavropanos who’s another Greek defender who is a little bit too young to start just yet, he’s brought in three former Dortmund players, two of them still at Dortmund when he bought them, Mkhitaryan the third one.
“So a little bit underwhelming I think from an Arsenal perspective.”