Manchester United have set their sights on Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. With their midfield in desperate need of an upgrade in personnel and the uncertainty over Paul Pogba’s future still looming, the Red Devils are once again after the Serbian midfielder, according to reports.
A disappointing run of games in the early part of the season saw Ole Gunnar Solskjaer getting sacked. German manager Ralf Rangnick was brought in to stabilise the team, which was falling off the league table. However, the results have not been up to the standard, with United’s midfield being the problematic area.
The Red Devils are looking for a permanent solution to their midfield problems, and are going after one of their previous targets. According to Italian news outlet Calciomercato (via Daily Mail), Manchester United are leading the race to sign Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, with Italian giants Juventus also vying for their signature.
🚨 Manchester United are chasing the signature of Serbia midfielder Sergej Milinković-Savić. The Lazio star has been directly involved in 14 goals in 19 Serie A games this season.
(Source: Calciomercato) pic.twitter.com/uFq10DJOjG
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) January 8, 2022
The English giants were very close to signing the 26-year-old back in 2019, but the deal failed to materialise. However, now the reports suggest that United have shown concrete interest to finally bring the midfielder to Old Trafford in the summer.
The Calciomercato report claims Lazio would want £58million (€70m) to let the Lazio midfielder join Rangnick’s team. Although the Serbian international has great admirers at Juventus, the English club is reportedly ahead at the moment to sign the player.
The report suggested that the Italian giants would not be able to afford the midfielder due to financial constraints, thus granting United an easy passage to secure Sergej’s signature in the summer. An ‘informal agreement’ is believed to be in place between Lazio owner Claudio Lotito and the player’s agent, Mateja Kezman, to sell Sergej Milinkovic-Savic to United.
The former Genk man has flourished since arriving in Italy in 2015, scoring 44 goals and providing 37 assists in 213 Serie A appearances for Lazio. Sergej has been directly involved in 14 goals in the league for the Italian side this season.
Reminder: Sergej Milinkovic-Savic loves playing versus Inter 🔥😉
— Jerry Mancini (@jmancini8) January 8, 2022
Interim manager Ralf Rangnick is looking to improve his midfield and is reportedly very keen on the midfielder. Moreover, the German is on the lookout for an able replacement for Paul Pogba, who will probably leave the club in the summer.
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Currently sidelined with an injury, the Frenchman has only six months left in his current contract at Old Trafford. Reports suggested that Pogba was offered a contract worth £500,000-per-week last summer, but a spokesman for the player has denied any such offers from the club.
Signing Milinkovic-Savic can solve plenty of problems for United, but bringing him to Old Trafford would not be an easy task. With two-and-a-half years left on his current deal, Lazio would demand a hefty sum to let one of their key players leave.
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