Having managed to take Chelsea to the Premier League title in his first season in England, Antonio Conte has to work really hard on his squad for the next season if he wants his side to improve on their performances from the previous season. This has seen Conte scout for some top talents in world football and the latest name linked with a move to the Stamford Bridge is Sokratis Papastathopoulos.
Reports from German news outfit Bild claim, that English giants Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea are all interested in the services of the Greek defender for the next season. At 29 years of age, Sokratis is one of the most experienced centre-backs in Germany at the moment and made 26 Bundesliga appearances at the Signal Iduna Park last season, acting as the first choice for Thomas Tuchel.
He also has 73 senior appearances for the national side and is an established defender at the highest stage. Strong and dominant in the air, Sokratis is a decent passer of the ball from the back. He is hardly ever hurried and is happy to take his time and hold off players to find his man. His ability to stay a step ahead of the game allows him to make some crucial tackles, making him an effective centre-back.
A perfect fit for the English game, Sokratis has all the attributes that can allow him to thrive in the Premier League and Antonio Conte is desperate to land him this summer.
The Italian spent on David Luiz last summer but he is not an option for a long time alongside Gary Cahill who are 30 and 31 respectively. The Dortmund man is not at the start of his career and only has a few years left in him but it is his experience that has made Conte scout him extensively.
John Terry is set to quit the club this summer while it is not clear how much of trust Kurt Zouma has gained late last season. Cesar Azpilicueta is currently the only player who is expected to start as a part of the three-man defence for Conte in the next campaign while Luiz will fancy his chances. But the manager has to spend on more than one centre back and cannot be splashing cash all around on just one player.
In such a situation, Sokratis, who is out of a contract in a couple of years, seems to be the best option for Chelsea. He has already played in the Serie A before moving to the Bundesliga and surely, the Premier League is his next challenge.
