Real Madrid played 10 days ago against Borussia Dortmund in the last game of the Champions League group stage. Unfortunately for Los Blancos, they could only draw, so they finished in the second position. Florentino Pérez and the board were keeping a close eye to two Borussia players: Weigl and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Actually, the Gabonese said after the game that he would be happy if he could play for Los Blancos.
However, Real Madrid bosses were not only thinking in these two players. According to the German newspaper Bild, Los Blancos were also interested in Sokratis Papastathopoulos. The Greek full back is doing a great season and he could be the replacement for Pepe, whose contract ends in June and he hasn’t renewed it yet.
According to the German press, Real Madrid scouters saw the games against Eintracht and Borussia Gladbach to see the Greek defender performances. Sokratis is 28 years old and he has played 12 games in the starting eleven for Borussia Dortmund in Bundesliga this year. He arrived to Dortmund in 2013 after paying to Werder Bremen €9,5M in a transfer fee. He stayed only two years in Bremen, where he arrived from Italy. In Serie A he played three seasons in Genoa and Milan, not having a great success in the ‘rossonero’ team.
Real Madrid have to wait until the CAS decide about the ban of buying players. If Los Blancos cannot sign any new player, they’d have to either renew Pepe or bring Jesús Vallejo back. The youngster is currently playing the Bundesliga for Eintracht Frankfurt and he has become one of the best defenders of the competition.
However, Pepe also deserves a good treatment from the club. The Portuguese has been one of the most important players of the squad and has won every single title since his arrival. Most of the players of the squad have already renewed their contract, but we’ll have to wait a little bit more to have any update regarding Pepe’s situation.
There can be some issues to replace Pepe in Real Madrid at all… even in Bundesliga team!!!