Krishnan Sreekumar
Manchester United have a strong interest in Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic
According to Calcio Mercato (h/t Express), Manchester United have a ‘strong and confirmed’ interest to sign Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic in the upcoming transfer window, although their move for the player could hinge on the future of Paul Pogba.
Pogba is currently in the last few months of his current contract with United, and as things stand, he is available as a free agent in the summer for interested clubs to snap him up. Thus far, there have been no updates about his deal renewal from either the club or the player.
In the event the Frenchman leaves for free at the end of the season, the Red Devils have set their sights on Milinkovic-Savic, whose versatility in midfield has caught the attention of many clubs in Europe. This season, ‘The Sergeant’ has impressed in Italy with his performances in the middle of the park.
The Manchester side’s midfield will be weak in the event Pogba exits the club, given that Nemanja Matic has also announced his intention to depart at the end of the season after spending five years at Old Trafford. A midfield signing, therefore, will be a necessity in the summer.
Destined to leave
In good news for United, they are said to be leading the race for Milinkovic-Savic’s signature, although alongside Paris Saint-Germain. Given the interest surrounding the 27-year-old, Lazio are bracing themselves for ‘an international auction being unleashed‘ for their midfielder in the summer.
The Serie A club’s president Claudio Lotito wants to cash in on the Serbia international at the end of the season, as his current contract with the Italian side expires in 2024. Reports in Italy claim that Milinkovic-Savic appears ‘destined to leave’ in order for him to take the next ‘big leap’ in his career.
Our midfield has long been an area that needs to be addressed, with stronger opposition identifying it as a weakness in the team and exploiting it to their advantage. Yet, the club have not invested in a quality midfield signing to plug this gap and improve our squad.
Donny van de Beek was signed in 2020, but despite the quality we saw in him while at Ajax, he has barely been utilised by the manager and is now on loan at Everton until the end of the season. Although he is expected back at Old Trafford in the summer, it is not known whether his future remains in Manchester.
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Now, we seem to have reached a situation where we may be short of midfield options, especially if Pogba too joins Matic on his way out of the Theatre of Dreams. Fred and Scott McTominay would then remain our only other options, and neither of them have proven that they can perform at the highest level consistently.
The arrival of Milinkovic-Savic may solve some of these problems. His versatility can be utilised to our benefit in midfield, and at 27, we could get a player about to enter the prime years of his career and kick on in terms of his performances. PSG will need to be battled for his signature, but it may be well worth the hassle to improve the weak link in our side.
