Manchester United have reportedly set their sights on Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and are plotting an £80 million summer move for the Lazio midfielder.
According to a report by Daily Mirror, Manchester United are ready to step up their interest in Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, with Jose Mourinho eager to bolster his midfield options in the summer. The Red Devils are lining up an £80 million bid for the Lazio midfielder, having monitored him this season.
Milinkovic-Savic has quickly gone about establishing a burgeoning reputation of being a commanding midfield general since joining Lazio from Genk in the summer of 2015. Now a pivotal part of the first-team squad at Stadio Olimpico, the Serb is playing a major role in the Biancocelesti’s bid for a top four finish this season.
In all, Milinkovic-Savic has nine goals and six assists in 32 appearances across all competitions, but it is his imposing presence in the middle of the park that is making him such a highly sought-after figure in the transfer market. Several prominent names in Europe have scouted the player over the course of the season, but Manchester United are the front-runners in his pursuit.
The Premier League heavyweights have had their eyes on the 22-year-old for a long time, with Jose Mourinho an admirer of his talents. The Manchester United boss is now set to accelerate the process of landing Milinkovic-Savic.
Mourinho was already primed to enter the market for a midfielder, with Michael Carrick set to hang up his boots at the end of the season, and Marouane Fellaini heavily linked with a free move away from Old Trafford. The Manchester United manager’s need to bolster his options in the middle of the park has now further accentuated.
Speculation has been rife about Paul Pogba’s possible departure from Manchester United in the summer, with reports of a rift between the player and Mourinho running rampant. Should the Frenchman call it quits, the Portuguese will fall severely short of options in midfield, making Milinkovic-Savic, who has often drawn comparisons with Pogba, a viable target.
Should Pogba stay at Old Trafford though, Milinkovic-Savic would still be an attractive prospect for Manchester United as his addition would help facilitate a regular usage of a midfield trio, which could also bring out the best from the France international.
Manchester United are, thus, plotting an £80 million bid to secure the services of the Serbian international, and it now remains to be seen if Manchester United manage to land him, culminating a long process of monitoring his progress in recent months.
