The Greek defender has seen David Luiz and Shkodran Mustafi nail down centre-half berths, while Pablo Mari is on board and William Saliba on the road.
Sokratis Papastathopoulos is prepared to walk away from Arsenal this summer if he doesn’t figure in Mikel Arteta’s long-term aims.
The Greek defender is tied into a contract at Emirates Stadium which is supposed to run until 2021 and he has previously suggested that he’ll honor that agreement prior to considering a move elsewhere.
Sokratis has, however, seen David Luiz and Shkodran Mustafi nail down centre-half berths under Arteta, whilst Pablo Mari is also now on board, and the highly-rated William Saliba will join the Gunners’ positions at the end of the season.
If there’s absolutely no regular role for him in north London, having been used a makeshift right-back occasionally over recent weeks, Sokratis admits he’s ready to push the exits.
The 31-year-old told reporters when quizzed on his future: “I do not understand.
“I have one more year here, I don’t sit on my contract.
“I do not care. If I am not happy, I do not play enough or the trainer does not like me, I do not care about the contract.
“For me the cash isn’t important, it’s important I feel great, I feel joyful and the staff is happy with me. Otherwise, I take the street and I finish.
“I really don’t think of it, I feel every day to be happy and help the staff and in the long run we’ll see but what I say is I am not a participant who sits on a contract — I do not need it.”
Sokratis staked a claim for more minutes in his latest outing for Arsenal, as he opened the scoring in a 2-0 FA Cup fifth-round win over Portsmouth.
Arteta made nine changes in that competition, after seeing his side slip from the Europa League in the hands of Olympiacos, and the expectation is that continental disappointment was shrugged off.
“It is an effect that gives you a little bit of confidence,” Sokratis said of the victory at Fratton Park.
“Now we know that when you have three things (decorations ) to struggle for and shed one which last year you made the closing in, it is hard.
“The first thing the manager said to us is the game ended and we must look forward.
“We still have plenty of games in the Premier League but it’s hard and this year we did not start very great.”
Arsenal currently sits 10th at the Premier League table, eight points adrift of the top four, and will be back in action on Saturday when they take at a derby date with London rivals West Ham.
