Kostas Manolas played for Greece at the World Cup (Picture: AP Photo)

As Arsenal’s hunt for a new centre-back to replace Thomas Vermaelen hots up they are being linked heavily with an £8million move for Olympiacos’ Greek defender Kostas Manolas.

Here are five things you probably didn’t know about the Arsenal target, who some have claimed could sign for as early as this week.

1) Currently playing for Olympiacos, Manolas scored his first competitive goal against his current side when he was playing for AEK Athens, the team he supported as a boy. The goal was scored in the sixth minute, despite him fracturing a bone in his face in the first minute. He refused to go to hospital until the end of the game. A three-hour surgery was required to correct the problem.



2. Despite only being 23, the right-footed defender has played a total of 165 games in all competitions and has scored 12 goals and grabbed two assists. Vermaelen, whom he would be replacing, scored 13 goals for Arsenal in the Premier League in 110 appearances.


3. Manolas has four medals to his name already – The Greek Cup (10/11 and 12/13) and the Greek Superleague (12/13 and 13/14) so he has experience winning trophies and dealing with the pressure of being expected to win things.

4. Born in Naxos, Greece in 1991, Manolas is the nephew of the Greek football legend Stelios Manolas, a player described by many as the best to ever come out of the country. Uncle Stelios played for AEK Athens for 20 years winning four league titles, four Greek cups, appearing over 700 times and scoring 44 goals as a defender.

5. Appearing for Greece at this year’s World Cup, Manolas was judged to have been one of the top 50 players at the tournament.

While Manolas certainly isn’t the household name many Arsenal fans might have been hoping for, he is a tough defender who is well used to winning things. As he would be arriving as fourth choice at the club he is a more than capable replacement and would make an excellent addition to the squad.

MORE: Why Arsenal could get a bargain if they pay Olympiacos £8million for Kostas Manolas

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