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Manchester United: Red Devils eyeing Sergej Milinkovic-Savic
Manchester United have reignited their interest in Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic this summer, according to Italian outlet Calciomercato.
The lowdown: Wait goes on…
The Red Devils have been pursuing a move for their priority target Frenkie de Jong for the duration of the transfer window, seemingly hitting roadblocks at almost every turn.
Despite having reportedly agreed on a guaranteed €75m (£63m) fee with Barcelona for the Netherlands international, the move remains on hold over a wage dispute and other factors.
It now appears as though the Old Trafford outfit could be about to turn their attentions elsewhere in an attempt to bolster Erik ten Hag’s squad…
The latest: United eyeing Milinkovic-Savic
As per Calciomercato, United have reportedly begun to ‘evaluate the alternatives’ to De Jong.
It’s claimed that, ‘in the last hours’, the Red Devils have brought the 34-cap Serbia star ‘back in fashion’ as Ten Hag and John Murtough look to strengthen the ranks ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.
The report also states that Lazio would demand ‘at least’ €70m (£59.5m) for the 27-year-old, who has been described as ‘unmarkable’ in the air by team-mate and former Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva.
The verdict: Smart move
Having lost Paul Pogba, at least one midfielder is needed to replenish the United ranks, and switching attention away from De Jong would certainly be advisable at this juncture given the protracted nature of the transfer and the close proximity of the new season.
Standing just shy of 6 foot 4, Milinkovic-Savic boasts an imposing physical presence and has been a top performer in Italy for some time now, amassing 231 outings in Serie A and directly contributing to 89 goals in that time.
Last season, the midfield enforcer – who shares a close stylistic likeness with such illustrious names as Leon Goretzka, Kevin De Bruyne and Youri Tielemans (FBRef) – scored 11 times and provided 12 assists in 47 appearances across all competitions. That earned him a superb 7.28 Sofascore rating as he won 6.9 duels, completed 1.2 dribbles and made 1.4 key passes per game.
All of this makes the impressive Serbian an ideal alternative to De Jong, and one transfer that Ten Hag should be pushing to get over the line.
