Arsenal and Chelsea are linked with Borussia Dortmund’s Sokratis but should Liverpool really be the frontrunners?
Dortmund v Porto – Sergio Oliveira
Both Arsenal and Chelsea are considering a move for Borussia Dortmund centre-back Sokratis Papastathopoulos as they seek defensive recruitment.
That is according to the Sun, who say that the Blues are keen on replacing John Terry with Sokratis, while the Gunners were concerned by their lack of defenders during the 2016/17 season and want to bolster their ranks.
Chelsea’s John Terry lines up before the match
Yet arguably one manager who also needs support at the back ahead of the new campaign could potentially hold all the cards in this transfer saga and that is Liverpool’s Juergen Klopp.
Klopp was the man who originally brought Sokratis to Dortmund from Werder Bremen in the summer of 2013 and the 29-year-old has previously praised the influence of the German coach on his career.
Therefore, it is not too much of a stretch to predict that if the Greece international were to move to the Premier League then a reunion with his former boss would be tempting.
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp
Not only that, but unlike Arsenal, the Reds can offer Sokratis Champions League football in 2017/18 – something that is also likely to play a part in any potential decision to leave Germany.
Liverpool’s defensive woes have been well documented over the past 12 months, with Joel Matip arguably the only central defender who has impressed during that time.
Perhaps Klopp should be using his influence at the Westfalenstadion to rectify that by signing Sokratis.
Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund – German Cup DFB Pokal Final
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