Real Madrid are interested in signing Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic in the summer. The Serbian is currently in his sixth season with the Italian club and has racked up over 200 appearances for them.
A recent report by Gazzetta dello Sport has revealed that Madrid, along with Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain are tracking the 26-year-old. The report states that Milinkovic-Savic could stay at Lazio if the club finishes in the top four of Serie A and qualifies for the Champions League. Lazio are currently sixth on the table, six points behind fourth-placed Atalanta, but have a game in hand.
In his 241 appearances for the club in all competitions, the Serbian has scored 46 times and set up 37 goals. Milinkovic-Savic’s current deal with Lazio expires three years from now in 2024.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic: Should Real Madrid make a move?
Real Madrid have had a topsy-turvy season for the most part but have arrived in April still with a very good chance of winning the league and Champions League title this season.
But head coach Zinedine Zidane – if he stays at the club post this season – will want to make significant changes to the squad as the team has mostly been carried by Karim Benzema and while the trio of Kroos, Modric and Casemiro have peaked at the right point in the season, it will be unfair on the part of the team management to keep expecting such level of performances for another campaign.
This is an area of the field that Zidane and Madrid have to put emphasis on. Los Blancos have experienced, quality players in midfield, but a few of them are on the wrong side of 30 and could have just a couple of seasons left in them to play in a top team like Real Madrid. Toni Kroos is 31, and even though he is still in great form, he will have to be rested and rotated to be kept fresh.
There is still no update on the future of Luka Modric, whose contract with the club expires at the end of the season. Modric is still playing at a high level, but at 35 (he will turn 36 in September), he can’t be played in every game. Real Madrid’s rumoured interest in Sergej Milinkovic-Savic makes a lot of sense.
The 6’3″ midfielder is a talented player who can link midfield and attack with his passing and distribution, be it long or short balls. The Serbian is an imposing presence in the middle of the park thanks to his height, and he is superb in the air. He is a tenacious player who can put in tackles and add muscle to the midfield of most teams in Europe.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic is an all-round midfielder who can do a bit of everything and does it with great verve. Although he isn’t as good a passer as Modric, he is a force to reckon with going forward. He can aid Casemiro in doing the dirty work in midfield as well, while Kroos could play in the passing role from the centre of the park. The Serbian is just 26 years of age but has a lot of experience which will hold him in good stead if he joins Madrid.