Dealing so unexpectedly to get close (9)
I believe the answer is:
alongside
'close' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'dealing so unexpectedly' is the wordplay.
'unexpectedly' indicates anagramming the letters.
'dealing'+'so'='dealingso'
'dealingso' anagrammed gives 'ALONGSIDE'.
'to get' is the link.
(Other definitions for alongside that I've seen before include "Next to - alien dogs (anag)" , "next door" , "Age-old sin (anag.)" , "Bordering" , "Next to, another boat say" .)