Sokratis Papastathopoulos signs for Arsenal in £16m Borussia Dortmund switch

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James Benge2 July 2018

Arsenal have completed the signing of Sokratis Papastathopoulos from Borussia Dortmund.

Standard Sport understands the Greece international centre-back has signed a three-year contract, with the option for a further 12 months, after finalising a £16million move from the Bundesliga side.

Papastathopoulos, who will wear the No.5 shirt, has endured a lengthy wait to put the finishing touches on a deal that was largely agreed several weeks ago as Dortmund were reluctant to announce the transfer until the start of a new quarter in July.

The 29-year-old is the third player with close links to Dortmund to join Arsenal since the appointment of the German side’s former chief scout Sven Mislintat as head of recruitment in late 2017, following in the footsteps of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

Arsenal's most expensive transfers

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Mislintat, new manager Unai Emery and head of football relations Raul Sanllehi have also added veteran right-back Stephan Lichtsteiner and goalkeeper Bernd Leno as part of their overhaul of the Gunners’ defence this summer.

Uruguayan midfielder Lucas Torreira is expected to join from Sampdoria after his involvement in the World Cup is complete.

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