Arsenal player has ‘a better chance than anyone else’ to replace departing star – Has had ‘opportunity’ to speak to manager

If Kalidou Koulibaly leaves Napoli this summer, then Sokratis Papastathopoulos could very likely move to the south of Italy to replace him.

That is, in essence, what both Il Mattino and Corriere dello Sport are reporting on Tuesday.

The first of the two, however, are very clear: the Arsenal centre-back will not be joining unless his Senegalese counterpart vacates a space for him in Gennaro Gattuso’s squad.

As for Corriere, they are a bit more open about the whole thing, explaining that should the Napoli star leave for Manchester City or any other big club, then Sokratis ‘has a better chance than anyone else’ to take his spot.

They point out he’s worked with Gattuso in the past (back when the manager was still a player at Milan) and has had the ‘opportunity’ to speak with him directly about a transfer.

He also knows there are ‘hypothetical hierarchies’ at Napoli, but they aren’t ‘set in stone’, meaning there is a chance for him to show what he can do.

Either way, that’s where we stand with Sokratis and his potential exit from Arsenal, since it’s been made very clear he doesn’t fit in Mikel Arteta’s plans at the Emirates.