Arsenal: Yes, Konstantinos Mavropanos is essential to Sokratis move

Arsenal are set to sign Borussia Dortmund defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos. It would be foolish to think that Konstantinos Mavropanos is not involved.

Arsenal are set to make their first signing of the post-Arsene Wenger era. Per a wide-range of reports, the Gunners are set to sign Borussia Dortmund defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos.

Catch the latest episode of the Pain in the Arsenal podcast right here

The deal, thought to be in the region of £16 million, could be completed in the coming days and will see the 29-year-old enter the squad as one of the starting centre-halves with Laurent Koscielny on the sidelines. But there is a more nuanced element to this signing that needs to be talked about.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 observations from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park

Sokratis is obviously expected to come in and perform at a high standard immediately. He is an experienced, accomplished defender who has played at a good level for a number of years, and he is being recruited because of that. But there is an added bonus to his signing.

Sokratis is Greek. He has 79 caps for the national team and has been one of the key members of that squad for several seasons. It should not go unnoticed that Arsenal already have a young and talented Greek defender on their books, namely Konstantinos Mavropanos.

The 20-year-old was signed in the January transfer window. It was initially thought that he would be sent out on loan, but by the end of the year, he had usurped Rob Holding in the pecking order, started three successive Premier League games, impressing greatly in two of them, and is now seen as a promising prospect for the future.

Sokratis will certainly help Mavropanos’ development. As proven against Leicester City, when the young defender was caught dallying on the ball and then hauled down Kelechi Iheanacho to see himself sent for an early bath, he still has a lot to learn. A player of Sokratis’ experience will not go amiss.

Moreover, both Mavropanos and Sokratis have the same agent, Vasilis Stachtiari, who reportedly has a very close connection with Sven Mislintat, the Gunners’ Head of Recruitment and the mastermind behind both of these acquisitions.

There is a prior relationship between these two players that will certainly aid their times in north London: Mavropanos can introduce Sokratis to life in a new country, league and team, while Sokratis can impart the wisdom and experience that a decade-long career in some of the best European teams and leagues can garner.

Next: Arsenal: 3 players that it's now or never for

I am not saying that Sokratis has been solely signed because of the development of Mavropanos. That would be foolish. But it would be naive to think that Mavropanos did not have an influence on Arsenal’s thinking. He will benefit from this move, and it should not be overlooked.