As per a report from La Gazzetta Dello Sport, Premier League duo Arsenal and Manchester United are both keen on the signature of Borussia Dortmund defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos.
Sokratis, an experienced 79-time capped Greek international, has been on the books of Dortmund since arriving at the club from fellow Bundesliga outfit Werder Bremen in 2013.
And the no-nonsense stopper has since gone on to establish himself as a key figure at the Westfalenstadion, with the departure of Mats Hummels from the club in the summer of 2016 having since seen Sokratis step into a leader’s role on the pitch for BVB.
To this point in the current campaign, the 29-year-old has racked up 38 appearances across all competitions, notching 3 goals in the process.
However, despite Sokratis’ crucial role in Dortmund, rumours have been rife in the media over recent months that the stopper could be set for a departure from the club at the end of the season.
His contract with the Bundesliga giants is set to expire in the summer of 2019, with German outlets having published contrasting stories regarding whether or not the one-time AC Milan man will put pen to paper on a new deal.
As such, a number of European heavyweights have been linked with potential summer swoops for Sokratis, with Italian giants giants Juventus previously named as the club expressing the most genuine interest in his signature.
However, as per the aforementioned report from La Gazzetta Dello Sport today, the Bianconeri are set to be challenged by a pair of Premier League clubs in their pursuit of Sokratis.
The sides in question are Arsenal and Manchester United, both of whom have actually been touted as potential destinations for the Greek defender in the past.
In addition, both clubs are known to be on the lookout for central defensive additions, with the potential for a cut-price deal due to Sokratis’ contract situation at the Signal Iduna Park meaning a summer transfer tug-of-war could well be in store.
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