Real Madrid are lining up Borussia Dortmund centre-back Sokratis Papastathopoulos as a potential replacement for Portuguese star, Pepe. The 33-year-old is yet to agree to a new contract with the club with his current deal set to expire at the end of the current season.
The hierarchy at Real Madrid believe that Sokratis, 28, is a worthy replacement should the Portuguese man leave. Pepe is yet to agree on a new contract but there are multiple reports that claim it is he who is not keen on a new deal – not the club - given his inability to consistently break into the first-team under current manager Zinedine Zidane.
Pepe won the UEFA European Championships with Portugal in the summer but is reportedly weighing up his future with the Madrid club with many offers said to be on the table. And Real Madrid – should they succeed in their sanction to lift the FIFA transfer embargo – will look to sign Sokratis in the summer.
With the imminent departure of the Portuguese star, Real Madrid are left with only two senior centre-backs in Raphael Varane and Sergio Ramos while Nacho Fernandez could fill in the void when needed. Another option is also to promote youngster Jesus Vallejo to the first team - having spent the whole season on loan at Frankfurt in the Bundesliga.
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Sokratis is just one of the many possible replacements eyed up by Real Madrid who also reportedly remain firm admirers of Arsenal's Laurent Koscielny. The 31-year-old French star has been a rock at the back for the Gunners ever since signing from Tours back in 2010.
But any move for him will be tough given Arsenal are in talks to extend his current contract. He's coming to the end of his career and Arsene Wenger believes the rest of his senior playing years are at the North London club and not elsewhere.
That's not to say Madrid have no other targets. Athletic Bilbao's Aymeric Laporte is a serious option for Los Blancos and one they feel can emulate the kind of player Sergio Ramos has been for them. Laporte has a €50 million release clause in his contract and the club can do nothing should Florentino Perez and Zinedine Zidane activate said clause.
Madrid are currently in Japan for their duties in the FIFA Club World Cup having seen themselves through to the final of the competition thanks to their 2-0 win over Mexican side, Club America. They take on Japanese side, Kashima Antlers, in the finals of the competition on Sunday.
