Pranav Nair
Manchester United move to beat Juventus to Fiorentina star Nikola Milenkovic
According to Italian outlet CalcioMercato, Manchester United are looking to preempt Juventus to Fiorentina defender Nikola Milenkovic.
The Serbian is one of the best young defenders in Serie-A and is contracted to La Viola until 2022. He is unlikely to pen an extension and looks set to move in the coming summer transfer window.
Juventus are keen to secure him as they step up their rebuild under Andrea Pirlo. Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini are both ageing and the Old Lady will need to replace them sooner than later.
While they do have Matthijs de Ligt and Merih Demiral, the latter is keen to play regularly and may leave the club. (h/t Juve FC)
This has put them in direct conflict with United, who are also seeking to strengthen their defence. The rearguard has proven to be Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Achilles heel and he is keen to rectify it before the next campaign.
As per the report, United have already taken the first step and have talked with the player and his agents. Whether the hare or the tortoise wins the race remains to be seen.
It was recently reported by The Athletic (Subscription Required) that United are indeed interested in Milenkovic but are not pursuing him actively.
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While United are keen on Sevilla star Jules Kounde, his asking price could prove to be an issue when it comes to negotiations. In Milenkovic, they have a player who is of a similar age and will cost less than half of the Frenchman’s price.
