Unai Emery 'Drops Interest in Brighton Defender' as Arsenal Close on Sokratis Signing From Dortmund

Former Arsenal target Lewis Dunk has been informed by new Gunners boss Unai Emery that the north London side will not be following up their previous interest in

Former Arsenal target Lewis Dunk has been informed by new Gunners boss Unai Emery that the north London side will not be following up their previous interest in him. 

Dunk had been a defensive target under Arsene Wenger, but the Mirror report that Emery's appointment this summer has seen a reshuffle in the club's transfer targets - leaving a move for the Brighton defender off the table. 

The Seagulls are refusing to consider offers from any of the dozen or so sides they expect to be in the almighty mid-table and relegation battle next season, leaving only a handful of top clubs as potential destinations for Dunk - more or less ruling out any move this summer. 

Arsenal are on the verge of completing a move for Dortmund defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos, with the German club's sporting director Michael Zorc telling Revier Sport this week: "He is likely to go there but things are not finalised yet. 

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"I will not give you anything more for the rumour mill. There have apparently been 27 new Dortmund players since the end of May."

26-year-old Dunk made his first appearance for the club in 2010 as a Seagulls academy product in League One, and has now played over 200 league games for his childhood club, including all 38 in their maiden Premier League season last term. 

4 - Lewis Dunk has scored four own goals in the Premier League this term - the joint-most by a player in a single season in the competition's history (also Martin Skrtel in 2013-14). Oops

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 24, 2018

Although he gained praise from many parts in his debut season in the top flight, Dunk did finish with the joint-most own goals in a single Premier League season - finding the back of his own net four times in one of the worst runs of luck seen in the top flight.