Following his earlier words stating that Kalidou Koulibaly can leave Napoli this summer should the right offer come in, Napoli President De Laurentiis has found his replacement for the potentially outgoing central defender in the form of Arsenal defender, Sokratis.
When asked, Laurentiis revealed that Napoli are ‘working to get Sokratis from Arsenal’ and that they are ‘considering him as an option.’ The deal to bring the Greek defender to Italy would certainly make sense, too, with Arsenal no longer in need of his services following new arrivals this summer.
De Laurentiis: ‘We’re Working to Get Sokratis’
Arsenal Set to Cash in While They Can?
After two years at Arsenal, it is looking increasingly likely that Sokratis will be shown the door at the Emirates this summer. The Greek defender’s contract runs out next June, which means he can sign a pre-contract agreement on a free deal from next January.
With his contract situation taken into consideration, Arsenal will likely look to cash in on Sokratis before the summer window slams shut. Should they fail to make a deal happen this window, however, Sokratis will be able to leave for free, leaving Arsenal out of pocket.
Mikel Arteta will know that, in order to secure transfer targets of his own, finances from player sales will be the key, including the potential sale of Sokratis. As the Greek centre-back moves on, Arteta should receive much-needed funds to add much-needed quality to the Arsenal squad.
Sokratis a Downgrade for Napoli?
Although negotiations are slow between Manchester City and Napoli for Kalidou Koulibaly, they have, at the very least, started. All that seems left to fix when it comes to the deal is the fee with the Napoli president happy to wave goodbye to Koulibaly should the right offer come in.
As Koulibaly leaves, however, Sokratis is looking likely to become his replacement. It has to be said, though, the Greek defender is a massive downgrade.
In Koulibaly, you have a strong, dominant central defender who is impossible to pass at times. In comparison, Sokratis is often slow, clumsy and mistake-prone. At 32 years old, too, the Greek defender may not prove very useful for Napoli when looking to solidify the backline for years to come.
Main Photo
Embed from Getty Images
