Manchester United have reportedly reignited their interest in Lazio’s Serbian midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic this summer. United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is said to want the 25-year-old to line up in midfield with Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba next season – adding some power, pace and steel to his midfield ahead of the start of the 2020/21 season with United expected to challenge the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City for Premier League glory.

According to FootMercato, reported by The Sun, the Old Trafford club are preparing a summer move for the Lazio midfielder. If this is true, it could be good news for United. However, there always seems to be rumours linking the club with as many players as possible and supporters will need to weigh up whether there is anything solid in the reporting. In this case, I would say no but that is just my opinion. It is, however, stated that United will have competition from Real Madrid, Juventus, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, which seems a little strange to be honest.

Real Madrid are, according to rumour, not making any plans to sign any big name players this summer because of the coronavirus pandemic. Chelsea seem to have spent a lot of money already this summer and it would suggest that their name is being used, probably along with United and the Madrid club. Spurs might be in the market for another midfielder, however, a high fee might be a problem for them as they are not know to splash the cash, which is part of their problem.

Paris Saint-Germain are reported to have already made a £54 million move for the Serbian midfielder this summer, which was rejected by the Italian club. It is suggested that £90 million would be required to sign the player this summer but some seem to think that £63 million could be enough to get a deal done, which if true could be a good deal for the player, providing he does start to show promise once again, like he did a few seasons ago for the Italian club, which saw him linked to United and others at the time.

This season, in 41 appearances for Lazio, Milinkovic-Savic made a total of 41 appearances playing in the Serie A, Supercoppa Italiana, Coppa Italia and the UEFA Europa League. The Serbian has scored eight goals, adding eight more assists, which is a good rate of goals and assists from the midfield. The player is a central midfielder and does not play any other positions but in terms of creativity, he has a good head on his shoulders. It remains to be seen whether United can play without a defensive minded midfielder on the pitch but on paper, this could work.

The Serbian is contracted at Lazio until the summer of 2024, meaning that the club will not be in a rush to sell the player and will be holding out for the best deal with the player seemingly holding out for the best club, which could make things complicated. Of course, this report could have been leaked in order to get the player an enhanced contract at the club. This has been seen many times in the past with players linked to multiple clubs and ending up remaining at their club signing a new bumper contract. Cynical I know but it happens a lot.

Written by John Walker

Lazio have admitted that the future of Sergej Milinkovic-Savic is in the players own hands. The 25-year-old has had many teams in Europe tracking him over the years but it would also be safe today that the player is not in the same form that he was a few years ago – which could affect the number of clubs actually interested in the player.

In the past, despite a number of rumours linking the Serbian midfielder to club such as Manchester United, the Italian club have always responded with comments stating that the player was not for sale. However, it has been revealed by the sporting director of Lazio that if the player wants to leave the club, he can leave.

This season, before the coronavirus pandemic suspended world football, Milinkovic-Savic made a total of 31 appearances for the club, playing in the Serie A, Supercoppa Italiana, Coppa Italia and the UEFA Europa League – scoring five goals and a further seven assists. During the 2018/19 season, in 41 appearances he scored seven goals and three assists.

During the 2017/18 season, which was probably his beat at Lazio, Milinkovic-Savic made a total of 48 appearances, scoring 14 goals, assisting a further eight. This was the summer he was linked to United Wirth many thinking a move would actually happen and the following summer, with Paul Pogba linked elsewhere, the rumours started again.

Comments from the Lazio sporting director Igli Tare will most likely start the speculation once again that United, or even Chelsea, who has also been looking at the player, could finally sign the player they are rumoured to want to complete their team. Whilst speaking to Sky Sports Italia, Tare stated:

“The player’s desire is crucial. Generally speaking, if a player thinks that their time is up and wants to go somewhere else, it shouldn’t be a problem.

“Eras come to an end. The fact he stayed in Rome for five years is because he has strong links with the city and club.

“When there was some temptation, a bit on our part, a bit on his, we never went all the way. However, things must be assessed at the end of the season.”

The 25-year-old has a contract with Lazio that does not expire until the summer of 2024, meaning he has at least three years remaining at the club this summer. This would give the Italian club a lot of leverage and that whoever wanted to sign the Serbian would pay a premium to do so. It is suggested that £80 million could be enough this summer.

Milinkovic-Savic started out as a youth player at Sporting Clube de Portugal before moving to Grazer AK in Austria, then Fudbalski Klub Vojvodina in Serbia. It was here the player found first team football playing 16 times, scoring four goals and one assist. He was then sold to Belgian club Genk in the summer of 2014.

Whilst playing for Genk, Milinkovic-Savic made 24 appearances for the club, scoring five goals and a further assist. In the summer of 2015, the Serbian was sold to Lazio where he has made a total of 194 appearances, scoring 36 goals and a further 26 assists. If he wants to leave the club this summer, starting again in pastures new could be a good challenge.

During his career, Milinkovic-Savic has won the Serbian Cup with Vojvodina, and the Coppa Italia and the Supercoppa Italiana with Lazio. Internationaly, the 25-year-old has been capped 15 times by Serbia and has yet to score a single goal. As a youth player for Serbia, he helped win the UEFA European U19 Championship in 2013 and the FIFA U20 World Cup in 2015.

Manchester United are said to be preparing a bid for Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic this summer. However, the bid will only be finalised if French midfielder Paul Pogba leaves the club, which seems likely after he stated that he would be seeking a new challenge along with the fact his agent, Mino Raiola is confident of moving him on.

United has been linked to the Serbian midfielder on a number of occasions during the past few years but they never made a positive move for him. Sky Sports has also reported the news that United would make a move for the 24-year-old, even suggesting the club could make a £72 million offer, despite the fact more would be demanded from Lazio.

Claudio Lotito, the president of the Italian club would be seeking something in the region of £90 million for Milinkovic-Savic, if he was sold this summer.The player has made a total of 202 professional appearances in his short career, scoring 40 goals, assisting 20 more, playing 14,873 minutes of football. He signed a new contract with Lazio in October 2018.

Milinkovic-Savic is contracted at the club until the summer of 2023, so has four years remaining on that contract. Whilst the club may not need to sell him, it is reported that he would like to leave the club he has spent the past four seasons playing for, although he will not force a move this summer and would consider staying another year at the club.

United were last linked to the 24-year-old under the management of Jose Mourinho and it was suggested that the Portuguese manager personally scouted the player whilst playing for Serbia in October 2018, just two months before he was sacked as United’s manager, which started the new era under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

United are seeking at least one central midfielder this summer, probably to replace Ander Herrera who left as a free agent at the end of last season. The club has been linked with Newcastle United midfielder Sean Longstaff, Sporting CP midfielder Bruno Fernandes, Southampton midfielder Mario Lemina and now Milinkovic-Savic.

It is a clear indication that Solskjaer will be seeking to rebuild his squad this summer, signing just two players in Daniel James, who arrived from Swansea City and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who arrived from Crystal Palace. The summer transfer window closes on Thursday 8 August 2019 at 5 pm, meaning that United has four weeks to rebuild the squad.

Milinkovic-Savic has established himself as a complete midfielder. Just like Zinedine Zidane and Yaya Toure, the 24-year-old can blend the traditional attacking movement and the finishing ability of an attack-minded midfielder, with the height and physicality of a target man or defensive midfielder. It sounds good, doesn’t it?

He would be a great player to have in the team. He fits the youth philosophy that Solskjaer is looking to inject into his team. He fits the profile in terms of his talent and if Pogba did leave, which seems likely, he would be a capable replacement who could fill the void, despite it not being a big one. Solskjaer and Ed Woodward should be all over this.

Lazio sporting director Igli Tare has reportedly flown to England to hold talks with Manchester United over the prospective transfer of Serbian midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. Italian news outlet, Sport Media Set has reported that the club would be looking for a fee in the region of £72 million this summer.

United have been linked to the 24-year-old for the past few years but nothing seems to have developed in the chase for the midfielder. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has already made two additions to his squad this summer with Daniel James and Aaron Wan-Bissaka but the midfield still needs some strengthening.

In January, Marouane Fellaini left the Old Trafford club for China and Ander Herrera left the club as a free agent at the end of the season, recently signing a five-year deal with Paris Saint-Germain. There is also a lot of speculation surrounding Paul Pogba this summer, despite the fact he travelled to Australia for the clubs pre-season tour.

United have already been heavily linked with Bruno Fernandes this summer, a saga of a transfer which has displayed a lot of media attention, although no actual movement just yet. Sport Media Set reported that Tare has flown to England to hear a proposal from United, although it was also reported that many unnamed clubs were also interested in the player.

It is claimed that Lazio would be seeking around €100 million for Milinkovic-Savic this summer, which is about £89.7 million. However, it is suggested that the club would accept a fee in the region of €80 million, which is about £71.7 million. The 24-year-old has become one of the highest rated midfielders in Europe.

Milinkovic-Savic has four years remaining on his Lazio contract, which expires in the summer of 2023 but it is suggested in Italy that the player made it clear that he would like to leave this summer. The 24-year-old has spent the last four seasons at Lazio, playing 163 times and scoring 31 goals. Last season, in 41 appearances, he scored seven goals, assisting a further three.

His performances might have dropped over the last season but a new challenge, in a new country could be just what Milinkovic-Savic needs to resurrect his career. United will also be looking to find players who are ready for a challenge and possess the desire, ability and determination to help bring the club back from the doldrums. He could be that player.

Whether the move happens or not though will depend on a few factors; whether United manage to strike a deal with their proposal and whether the player fancies a move to the Old Trafford club. If United could sign the likes of Milinkovic-Savic and Fernandes this summer, they could both go a long way to helping develop the midfield for the future.