Gazzetta Dello Sport claim that Manchester United have revived their interest in Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. The same report states that Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United and Real Madrid are ‘returning to the assault’ for the Serbian international.
The 26-year old player is a familiar name for those Manchester United fans who have been following transfer windows for the last 2-3 years. Milinkovic-Savic was deemed as a potential Paul Pogba successor at Manchester United when Jose Mourinho was in charge of the Red Devils.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic is set to enter into the prime of his career and can be a great fit for many major European clubs. He still has a long-term contract with Lazio which will expire in 2024. Thus, the Italian club will be under no pressure to sell the player. But if they miss out on Champions League qualification, the Serbian midfielder can look for an exit. Currently, Lazio are six points behind Atalanta who are currently occupying the last Champions League spot in the league table.
Should Man United sign another midfielder: Sergej Milinkovic-Savic?
The Red Devils arguably possess a central midfield contingent with the best quality when it comes to depth in the Premier League. Fred, Scott McTominay, Nemanja Matic, Bruno Fernandes, Donny van de Beek and Paul Pogba, all are at Solskjaer’s disposal. Buying another player who plays in a similar position won’t be a wise choice. Though, if the club is ready to sell one or two of their current midfielders, then signing reinforcements might become necessary.
The Lazio midfielder is similar to Paul Pogba and Donny van de Beek. Pogba’s agent, Mino Raiola, has been a frustrating figure to deal with for Manchester United. His comments on Pogba’a future have often been destabilizing for the player and the whole team.
Pogba’s contract is set to expire in the summer of 2022. If Manchester United do not want to extend his contract, they should let him leave in the upcoming window, as letting a player of his calibre leave for free in the following year will be a disastrous business decision. A player with Pogba’s capability can fetch a high transfer fee. Thus, the United hierarchy needs to decide its stance on the Frenchman’s future at Old Trafford.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic is one of the strongest box-to-box midfielders in Europe. He helps his team in the defensive phases by winning important duels and also make late runs inside the box. The technically sound midfielder can take shots from long distance just like Paul Pogba. In 26 Serie A games this season, he has scored 7 goals and produced 8 assists. His latest goal came as a late winner against Hellas Verona. Definitely, he is a player who can add value to the current Manchester United team.
There is also the possibility of the Red Devils having to let go of van de Beek, who has been inexplicably underused this season. The talented Dutchman will be well within his rights to seek an exit, especially after the snub he received against Granada in the second leg. In such a scenario, there will be available positions in the squad but Ole will need to prioritise strengthening his defence and attack before fiddling with his midfield options.
Stats Courtesy: Whoscored