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You know the transfer window is soon upon us when the stories of Sergej Milinkovic-Savic to Manchester United start to swirl.
And reports from Italy this morning indicate that the Serbian midfielder is finally on the move, with Corriere Dello Sport claiming that the Red Devils are among the clubs weighing up a move.
United are in dire need of reinforcements in midfield, having struggled to effectively progress play in Christian Eriksen’s absence during his injury lay-off.
The Denmark star has been a fantastic signing but he has at times struggled with fatigue, affecting the team’s performance on the whole.
Another central midfielder of high quality would not only give Erik ten Hag the power to rotate without a severe drop-off in quality – it would also give him valuable options in the middle of the park as he sets about improving the team’s consistency next term.
Milinkovic-Savic certainly does have qualities that could aid United in that regard. The towering midfielder offers excellent productivity attacking the opposition penalty area, registering nine goals and eight assists for Lazio this season.
That is in part due to his aerial prowess, but it usually has more to do with his outstanding technical ability. Milinkovic-Savic is a highly creative midfielder, making 1.2 key passes per game and completing 1.1 successful dribbles per 90 minutes, as per SofaScore.
He certainly is a profile of midfielder the like of which is not currently on Man United’s books, which may go some way to explaining the link.
Should Ten Hag push for the signing, the club will face stiff competition for Paris Saint-Germain, with Premier League rivals Arsenal and Newcastle United also linked. Juventus are also long-term admirers.
While Milinkovic-Savic seems to be linked with an exit every summer, it does seem like this could be the one in which he actually moves.
His contract expires in 2024 and Corriere Dello Sport reports that Lazio have already identified possible replacements, even setting aside a €20m fund for the job.
With a reported price tag of €40m, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic could represent good value.
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