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What's the story?
Manchester United and Manchester City are going head-to-head atop the Premier League table, but that's not only the arena of battle the two Mancunian sides are engaged in if reports from the good folk over at the Daily Express are to be believed.
Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola have both had their heads turned by Lazio's midfield powerhouse Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and if the reports are to be taken at face value, Jose Mourinho is set to win this edition of their long-running battle.
In case you didn't know
Standing 6ft 4inches in his socks, Milikovic-Savic would fit in perfectly with the team Mourinho is building as he transforms Old Trafford into the Land of the Giants. The Serbian has netted 11 goals in 78 games for the Roman side but the 22-year-old's greatest attribute is his ability to go from box-to-box without losing composure and ensuring his technical abilities are put to good use.
The fact that Juventus bid £40 million this summer for the Serb - and Lazio rejected them straightaway - should give you a fair indication of just how good the lad is. The reports now suggest that Lazio, realizing just how much interest their young player is generating, are willing to cash in on him... United (or City) would have to shell out atleast £75 million (or €86 million) to get their man, though.
The heart of the matter
With Nemanja Matic already showing what a smart addition he is, Mourinho is now conducting succession planning and has chosen Matic's younger compatriot as the ideal candidate.
Guardiola's interest had been heightened as he sensed Milikovic-Savic would be perfect for a team that seems to be lacking in physicality in the middle of the field - what with both Yaya Toure and Fernandinho approaching the ends of their careers, it might be a good idea to bring in someone soon to take over from them in the near future.
Video
Here's Milikovic-Savic in action:
The lad can play, eh?
Author's Take
Milikovic-Savic would be an excellent addition to both squads - and with current transfer market prices going utterly berserk, especially when English clubs are buying, it's unlikely that they'll get a better deal for a youngster with the Serb's blend of physicality, technique, and footballing intelligence.
