According to Corriere dello Sport, Manchester United have been informed that they will have to pay £131m to sign Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic this summer.
What’s the story?
United will be in the market for at least one new central midfielder this summer as head coach Jose Mourinho looks to put together a squad capable of challenging Manchester City for the Premier League title next season.
Michael Carrick will retire as a player to join Mourinho’s coaching staff, whilst the future of Marouane Fellaini is up in the air as the Belgian enters the final months of his contract with the 20-time English champions.
United have long been linked with a move for Milinkovic-Savic, but according to Corriere dello Sport, Lazio have informed the Red Devils that the asking price is a huge £131m.
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The English giants have not been afraid to spend big on the likes of Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku in recent seasons, but forking out the hefty transfer fee for a player that is largely unproven at the highest level would be a serious risk for the club.
How good is Milinkovic-Savic?
There is a reason why Lazio value the midfielder so highly. The 23-year-old is an outstanding talent, and United would have to battle the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid for his services if they pressed ahead with a move.
Milinkovic-Savic joined Lazio from Genk in the summer of 2015, and the versatile midfielder managed 10 goals in his first two seasons with the Italian club.
This term, the Serbia international has scored 11 times and registered seven assists in 37 appearances in all competitions.
Standing at 6ft 4inches, Milinkovic-Savic is an absolute mountain of a man, and there is no question that he has the physical attributes to thrive in the Premier League.
He has the potential to boss the United midfield for the next few years, and there is no question that interest from the Premier League would turn the midfielder’s head.
The asking price is considerable to say the absolute least, but it would be a stunning capture for United, whose supporters are desperate for the deal to go through, if they managed to secure the Serbian’s services this summer.
