Arsenal edging closer to third summer signing, Unai Emery set to address key problem

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After conceding 51 goals in 38 league games last season, it’s evident that Arsenal have to shore things up at the back to compete for major honours.

That tally gave them the worst defensive record of the top seven sides in the Premier League, and to put it into further context, it was 24 more than champions Manchester City.

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In turn, the priority for new boss Unai Emery will surely be to strengthen his backline, and he has begun that process already this summer. BBC Sport report that a deal for Stephan Lichtsteiner is agreed, while Sky Sports add that the Gunners have also signed goalkeeper Bernd Leno.

Having missed out on Champions League football for a second consecutive season, Emery will be looking to bolster his squad and reports claim that he could be edging ever closer to his third signing.

According to The Mirror, defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos has arrived in England on Monday to put the finishing touches to his move to the Emirates, with the experienced Greek international now likely to compete with the likes of Laurent Koscielny, Shkodran Mustafi, Rob Holding and Calum Chambers for a starting berth.

The 30-year-old has proven himself at a high level during his stint in Germany, as well as winning a Serie A title with AC Milan in 2011.

With that in mind, this seems like an ideal addition for Arsenal, who will hope that Emery can bring fresh optimism and ideas to the table to ensure that they start moving in the right direction again after slipping off the pace under Arsene Wenger in recent years.

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