Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham are reportedly interested in signing Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, who is valued at £80 million by Lazio.
According to a report by Daily Mail, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic could be on the move in the summer transfer window. Premier League giants Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham are in pursuit of the Serbian midfielder, who has been publicly given the freedom to take a call on his future by Lazio sporting director Igli Tare.
Milinkovic-Savic has been one of the best midfielders on show in the Serie A since joining Lazio in the summer of 2015. Over the last half-a-decade, the Serb has racked up close to 200 appearances, with a tally of 36 goals and 26 assists in these outings.
However, his growth has also piqued the interest of several clubs in recent years, with Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham the clubs currently chasing him. At Chelsea, Frank Lampard has a stacked midfield department, with the first-choice trio of N’Golo Kante, Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic forging a solid partnership.
In addition, Mason Mount, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Billy Gilmour give the Chelsea boss ample options, as far as the long-term future is concerned. However, Kante and Jorginho both have their fair share of suitors, while Ross Barkley could be on the move this summer.
To that end, a move for Milinkovic-Savic makes sense for Chelsea, who are also in pursuit of other midfielders, like Derby County prospect Max Bird. Manchester United, on the other hand, have had the 25-year-old in their sights for years now.
As things stand, Paul Pogba’s future at Old Trafford is far from certain. If Pogba was to leave, Manchester United would need a replacement. To that end, Donny van de Beek has been reported to be United’s priority. Milinkovic-Savic, though, will be more of a like-for-like replacement for Manchester United.
As for Tottenham, with Tanguy Ndombele linked with a summer departure, just one year after his move from Lyon, the need to sign a midfielder could crop up. Having said that, Ndombele is reportedly intent on staying put at Totttenham.
Even so, Miinkovic-Savic could add a lot of value in Jose Mourinho’s squad, with the former Chelsea boss tailing the Serb since his days at Manchester United. Now, Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester United have all been given a boost in pursuit of the 25-year-old, with Lazio sporting director Igli Tare claiming that the player, who is valued at £80 million, is free to take a call on his future.
Speaking to Sky Sport Italia (h/t Football Italia), Tare said, “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. Just look what happened to Napoli this season. Things must be assessed at the end of the season.”
If Milinkovic-Savic deems his time at Lazio to be up in the summer, a move to England could be in the offing. Champions League football might just be a factor in his decision, and it remains to be seen who among Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham are able to land him, in what might be an £80 million deal.
