Arsenal have agreed a deal to cut ties with Sokratis with immediate effect, who will now be able to seek out a new club to join.
The defender had been left out of our Premier League and Europa League quota in October, alongside Mesut Ozil who happens to be close to agreeing an exit also, with the midfielder having flown to Turkey to complete a deal with Fenerbahce this week.
Sokratis was believed to have turned down moves in the summer, and eventually ended up staying to play in the reserves, but has now agreed to terminate his contract, as revealed by Chris Wheatley of Football.London, and has since been announced on Sky Sports News also.
The Greek international enjoyed 36 Premier League appearances in his first two seasons with the club, but only managed three league appearances after Mikel Arteta arrived as manager, and it is no surprise to see him depart.
William Saliba has also left the club this month, albeit on loan, meaning that all three of the senior players who were left out of the quota for the PL and EL will have moved on, assuming there is no issues with Ozil completing his deal.
Will the three wages have an effect on our transfer budget this month?
Patrick
Why did we not take the £5m on the table in the summer from Napoli for him not to even begin the squads to his contract being terminated.
Same situation as Alexis & Ozil when contracts were expiring and couldve got money (man city £60m) the summer before they left one free 5months later.
Club never learns! No more into last year, if it is then they go whatever the price unless they renew (same deal coming up with Laca soon)
Get some money for Mustafi even £4m for gods sake!
Same problems are going to arise with Willian, Pepe, Lucas & Matteo!
Unfortunately Pepe still has 3,5 years on his contract…
I honestly think we should sell Pepe in the summer if he doesn’t improve…
apparently Napoli was only going to take him if they sold Koulibaily. And yes, club never seems to learn and continues to mess up with contracts. Lacazette HAS to be sold this summer if we aren’t offering him a new contract (and i dont think we are). We’ve got to stop players leaving on the free. Mustafi on a free is another big blow. Our transfer record for a defender, a good age, and leaving for nothing. Unacceptable.
I’d really rather Arsenal STOP waiting until the player has one year left to decide whether to sell or not. Lacazette should’ve been handled last summer. Said it then and will still say it now.
You can add the 10M Roma offered for Mikhi that was turned down only to allow him to leave for free a few months later!
It’s good to cut loose players not needed by the club. Arsenal’s business model is criminal. The club keep saying there is no money, yet you buy players for millions of money and let them walk away for free – socrates, sanchez, michitayan, ramsey, ozil. Who knows, more players will take advantage of this culture in the future.
I still do not understand why in the summer 2 days before the window closed Arsenal refused PSG offer to take him on a free!
Socratis was very good when he joined unfortunately too many games with Mustafi ruined him.
Each worsened the other! With two duds playing side by side you are bound to see both as the hapless duds they are. If even one played with a far better CB, then you would occasionally see a better perf, than usual.
Mercifully our infamous three clowns Mustafi, Wrestler and Luiz are all either soon gone or left already, in Wresters case. With Holding, Mari and best of all Gabriel, we at last have a number of CBs of whom we can be proud, not deeply depressed!
Assuming they don’t foolishly offer Luiz another 1 year contract extension. Let him move on for goodness sake, we have other players that need the opportunity.
This should’ve been solved in the summer when there were a few rumored options for him. More wasted wages down the drain. Really hope it isn’t true that Arsenal blocked a PSG move for him. His market value is 1-2mill at most, and his wages are around 90k per week. You’ve got to wonder why Arsenal wanted to keep him around for 6 more months and was not more decisive earlier….
Nonetheless, Papa is a good professional, and tried his best and had a decent first season with us. The price we paid for him was still way too much. And lets remember he was bought on Mislintat’s recommendation, a man who everyone seems to praise and ignore his shortcomings the brief time he was here. Nothing against Papa himself of course. As usual, club messed many parts of this transfer up and spent too much on a player that was guarenteed to have no resale value.
Goodbye and thank you, Sokratis, thank you for telling Son he’s a diver, with that hand gesture after we spanked the spuds 4-2! Brilliant! 😂
Good luck wherever you go!
Good old Sue, so kind and forgiving! You are so good hearted!
I can never be as good willed as you clearly are to players who harmed our team by their incompetence. Probably a good guy I will say and certainly a real tryer.
But with me Sue, I just care for the team, and players less so, UNLESS they are true legends and really help the team, preferably long term too.
So I always want the poor players gone ASAP and for better ones to come in. I do not hold grudges but cannot honestly be anything but glad that Wrestler Sokratis has finally left.
OF COURSE I wish him good health and happiness but do I REALLY care about his future then? Sorry but I don’t! I need to be honest, even it if makes me seem heartless. You see Sue, five years ago I d never heard of him, so it seems hypocritical to pretend I care about him. Just the club/team AND real legends who have been great, or at least good, for my liking.
Thank you Sokratis and good luck.
Thank heavens.
This is turning out to be one of the best transfer windows in our recent history.
The deadwood is being thrown out. Loving the ruthlessness in Arteta.
Amazing.
Another example of our shocking recruitment which will impact in our Accounts.A very poor quality centre back .
Wrestler Sokratis is the third worst ever CB in my personal history (back to 1958). Only worse ones were Caesar and Schillachi, with even complete duds like Senderos, Cygan Djourou and our next worst ever Sylvestre, above them.
I am heartily sick of the long and useless line of dud CBs we have had for much of Wengers time and since and mercifully, now we have our best group for a long time in GABRIEL, HOLDING and MARI, even though the last two lack pace and can never therefore be real top class.
IMO, only CAMPBELL and to a lesser extent KOSCIELNY and TOURE have been good enough CBs since the Graham defence all retired.
Lol Gus Caesar – there’s a blst from the past. Maybe the worst ever. I’ll add Cygan and Stepenovs please Jon. I wish we good go back further so I could include Jeff Blockley.
oops see you had Cygan already.
Guy, I chose not to count the woeful Stepanovs, as he was really only a reserve player who played a few games when we had injuries. Forgot BLOCKLEY, THOUGH HE WOULD NOT BE AMONG MY TEN WORST. POSSIBLE IN THE WORST DOZEN THOUGH.
Do you go back as far as Terry Mancini and even further back to Ian Ure? I do, unfortunately!
Arsenal business model
*Transfer interest for 2+ years to increase value
*Buy player for too much
*Offer wages that are too high
*Run contract down to last year
*Half hearted attempt to sell
*Refuse all offers
*Try loan player out
*Player leaves on a free or contract mutually terminated
Repeat
👍👍👍
Spot on 👍
@ PJ-SA
Your post is brilliant.
If it was not for my beloved AFC I would be laughing. Instead I am crying.
Thank you, Sok and Good luck! A good pro.