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Premier League giants Manchester United will submit a €68 million offer for Lazio's 27-year-old midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, La Repubblica (via GuillaumeMP) have claimed.
Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United tasted a bitter 1-2 defeat in their Premier League opening-day clash against Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday (August 7). Although no United player covered themselves in glory in the home defeat, the midfielders, in particular, were way below expectations.
Having lost Paul Pogba, Juan Mata, and Nemanja Matic this summer, the Red Devils are in need of reinforcements in the middle of the park. And as per the aforementioned source, United are trying to bring in Milinkovic-Savic to bolster their weakened midfield.
The club are preparing a €68 million offer for the Serbian midfielder. If Lazio accept the offer, Milinkovic-Savic would become the sixth most expensive purchase in Manchester United’s history (via Transfermarkt).
Milinkovic-Savic, who has been at Lazio since June 2015, has thus far played 294 games for them across competitions, recording 58 goals and 51 assists. He has won one Italian Cup and two Italian Super Cups with the club so far.
The Serbia international’s current contract with Lazio runs until June 2024 and his current market value, as per Transfermarkt, stands at a sizable €70 million.
Milinkovic-Savic could solve a big problem for Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United
On Saturday, Erik ten Hag deployed Fred and Scott McTominay in a two-man midfield. Fred, in particular, was often given the responsibility of carrying the ball or rolling it ahead for the forwards to capitalize on.
Unfortunately, the Brazilian was not up to the task and ended up either squandering possession or simply taking too long to get the ball in promising areas. If Ten Hag wishes to keep his tried and tested system, he might need to find someone who is better suited for the task.
Lazio’s Milinkovic-Savic is an absolute powerhouse in the middle of the park. He is a great distributor, physically strong, is an engine, and has the quality to carry the ball forward whenever needed. He excels as a central midfielder but is capable of playing higher up or lower down the pitch without breaking a sweat.
Erik ten Hag’s teams have always relied on an anchor, a player who is capable of holding the game together. With some guidance, Milinkovic-Savic could be exactly what the doctor ordered; he could allow Ten Hag to start implementing the system that helped him snag major silverware at Ajax.
