Fenerbahçe are eyeing up a move for Arsenal defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos in the January transfer window.
That’s according to Fanatik, who say the Greek defender has spoken to Mesut Ozil about the potential transfer.
Sokratis finds himself far down the pecking order at the Emirates, having been left out of both their Premier League and Europa League squads this season.
It means he finds himself playing reserve team football in Premier League 2, a situation that he is keen to change before his contract at the club expires in the summer.
Fenerbahçe are willing to offer him that change, according to Fanatik, and have already held conversations with his agent about a possible move.
They explain that the Turkish side have endured defensive issues this season and are keen to resolve them as soon as possible as they look to win the title.
They have now ‘turned their eyes’ to Sokratis, who is out of favour at Arsenal after being ‘excluded’ by Arteta.
He ‘wants to leave’ in January and Fenerbahçe are ‘planning to add’ him to their squad, eyeing him up on a free transfer as Arsenal ‘do not want’ him and would like to get his €6m a year wages off their books.
The Turkish giants have already made their ‘first official attempt’ and held the ‘first meetings’ with his representatives to find out about his status at the Emirates.
It’s claimed those went well, with the club now keen to sit at the ‘bargaining table’ with Arsenal ‘soon’ to try and get a deal over the line.
There are reportedly ‘many clubs’ willing to make a move for the defender, but he is ‘closely interested’ in Fenerbahçe’s offer and spoke to Mesut Özil about the club.
According to the report he ‘received information’ about life in Turkey from the midfielder, who reportedly told him that Fenerbahçe are “a great club”, that Turkey is a “great country” and even suggested, “maybe in the future we can play together.”
That hints that a potential double deal could be on the cards, with Arsenal looking likely to be one of the busiest clubs, at least in terms of exits, in the January transfer window.
