Arsenal are expected to complete the £16million signing of Borussia Dortmund defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos this week.

Standard Sport reported the Gunners interest in the 29-year-old on May 16 and talks have progressed well this month with a deal set to be completed in the coming days.

Papastathopoulos would become the first signing of the post-Arsene Wenger era and it is further evidence of the club’s new hierarchy taking shape.

Chief executive Ivan Gazidis stated last week that new head coach Unai Emery was only recommended to the board as the preferred choice to succeed Wenger on May 18, meaning Arsenal’s interest pre-dated the Spaniard’s arrival.

The Gunners’ head of recruitment Sven Mislintat arrived from Dortmund in December and he has already raided his former club to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in addition to landing Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who used to play for the German side, prior to his move to Manchester United.

And now Mislintat, together with Gazidis and head of football relations Raul Sanllehi, is leading another raid as Arsenal seek to rebuild their squad for a top four push under Emery next term.

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They are in the market for another central defender and a central midfielder, while negotiations continue over a deal to sign Switzerland right-back Stephan Lichtseiner.

The 34-year-old will be a free agent next month when his contract at Juventus expires and it is believed he has been offered a two-year deal to move to Emirates Stadium.