Sokratis (Getty Images)
According to The Independent, German outfit Stuttgart are interested in signing Arsenal ace Sokratis Papastathopoulos in the summer.
Sokratis, 32, came through the youth ranks of AEK Athens in Greece and played for several clubs in Italy before making a name for himself with Borussia Dortmund. In the five years with the Bundesliga side, he made nearly 200 appearances and earned a move to Arsenal in the summer of 2018.
However, his time in North London has not been successful. He has been at the receiving end for his inconsistency and has failed to live up to the expectations. However, his £92k-a-week contract is due to expire at the end of next season and thus, the Gunners should look to offload the Greece international, with German side Stuttgart looking to take him on board this summer, as per the report.
Mikel Arteta’s men haven’t been at their best despite improving since the arrival of the Spaniard. They have failed as a unit and are also on the verge of losing out on a European spot.
One of the major reasons for Arsenal enduring a poor campaign is the lack of consistency at the back. The defenders have been vulnerable for the majority of the campaign and the manager was also left with limited options due to the injuries to key players.
David Luiz was roped in last summer and was expected to lead their backline but the Brazilian has been completely out of form and prone to errors. Shkodran Mustafi has also failed to bring the best out of himself and Sokratis has failed to put in a convincing display so far.
Thus, selling the Greece international would be a profit for the North Londoners. He is already 32 and is reaching the twilight of his career. Keeping hold of him would just result in a waste of their resources. The former Dortmund man is far from his best and a move elsewhere would help him revive his career.
However, Arsenal can also do without his presence. Rob Holding has been at his best since his return from a long layoff and they also have Pablo Mari. Calum Chambers, who has been forced out of action until the end of the season, is another young defender in their ranks. And William Saliba is set to join the team soon.
At the moment, the Gunners backline may not be at its best but they have several youngsters in the squad who are capable of becoming a strong force in the future. Thus, they should look to offload the old guns who have nothing left to offer and Sokratis is one of them.
