Manchester United are pondering a move for Borussia Dortmund defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos this summer, according to The Mirror.

What's the story?

The Red Devils are believed to be interested in bringing in a new defender to bolster the squad for the 2018-19 season.

Recently, The Sun reported that Jose Mourinho is eyeing Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Toby Alderweireld, who is yet to sign a new contract at the North London outfit.

United fans have made it clear on social media that they want the Belgian in their team, but it seems that the club have a 'plan B' in place.

The Mirror claims that the Premier League giants have added Dortmund's Sokratis to their list of targets having watched the defender a handful of times in recent weeks.

The Greece international has been at the Bundesliga club since 2013, and this season has made 34 appearances in all competitions.

Sokratis or Alderweireld?

Signing Alderweireld would be a huge coup for United and would send a big message to their rivals, especially considering the fact that they nabbed Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal in January.

There is no doubt that the centre-back would boost any team, but his situation at Tottenham remains unclear.

If Alderweireld does decide to leave in the summer, then a bigging war could ensue, and it is safe to say that Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will hold out for an enormous figure.

Sokratis is the easier option for United in terms of getting a deal over the line.

The 29-year-old is a reliable figure in defence and has the ability to play out from the back.

There would be question marks over his ability to slot into the Premier League given that he has never played top-flight football in England before.

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