---
title: "Landing £19.8m-rated star could surely end Laurent Koscielny’s Arsenal career"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/landing-19-8m-rated-star-could-surely-end-laurent-koscielnys-arsenal-career/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Marcus Banks"
section: "Arsenal Football Club"
published: "2018-05-17T06:00:39Z"
modified: "2018-05-17T06:00:39Z"
---

# Landing £19.8m-rated star could surely end Laurent Koscielny’s Arsenal career

**Arsenal fans in the Transfer Tavern are celebrating Arsene Wenger’s illustrious career in charge of the club but will be disappointed with the team’s performances this year.**

The Gunners missed out on a place in Champions League top four for the second successive season – only managing a sixth-place finish this year – 12 points behind Liverpool in the race for Champions League football. The Gunners were knocked out of the Europa League at the semi-final stage by Atletico Madrid and will enter the competition again next year.

Mikel Arteta is the [favourite](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/next-arsenal-manager-mikel-arteta-arsene-wenger-successor-santi-cazorla-backroom-team-transfer-plans-a8353036.html) to land the job at the Emirates and has a massive task on his hands if he is chosen to replace Wenger. A summer revamp is needed if they are to challenge Manchester City for the title next year. While Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan have been inspired additions, defence reinforcements are necessary.

First on their shortlist should be Borussia Dortmund defender – Sokratis Papastathopoulos. Valued at £19.8m by [Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/sokratis/profil/spieler/34322), the Greek defender would sure up their defence and with just one year on his contract – he could be available on the cheap. The 29-year-old is well known to Arsenal’s new head of recruitment, Sven Mislintat, from their time at Dortmund together.

A commanding defender with leadership qualities, he is just what Arsenal need. With Laurent Koscielny side-lined indefinitely and Per Mertesacker nearing the end of his career, Sokratis must be their number one priority this summer.

**Arsenal fans, thoughts?**