Manchester United had scouts present to watch Lazio’s Sergej Milinkovic-Savic in action during their Europa League fixture against RB Salzburg.
Manchester United sent scouts to monitor Lazio’s midfield mainstay Sergej Milinkovic-Savic this past Thursday when the Italians were in action against Austrian outfit RB Salzburg, as per a report from Daily Mail.
The game ended with Lazio losing 4-1 and getting dumped out of the competition, with Milinkovic-Savic failing to shine. However, United are expected to continue keeping tabs on the promising 23-year old,
Manchester United are in the market for a new central midfielder, as they are set to lose two of their first team members at the end of the season. Club captain has announced that he will be retiring and taking up a job in manager Jose Mourinho’s coaching staff while fellow midfielder Maroaune Fellaini is expected to leave as well, when his contract expires in the summer.
This would leave the Red Devils thin and stretched in the middle of the park. Moreover, Ander Herrera and Paul Pogba’s inconsistent form in the ongoing campaign has meant that Jose is intent on bolstering his options in the middle of the park.
Manchester United have been linked with a number of midfielders in recent weeks, with the club having reportedly made an offer for Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Fred, who also happens to be transfer target for newly crowned Premier League champions Manchester City. The name of Bayern Munich star Arturo Vidal has also been mentioned, given that the Chilean is set to enter the final year of his contract with the Bavarian giants upon the end of the season.
Along with them, Milinkovic-Savic is another player that has been rumoured to be a target for the Red Devils on a constant basis. The 23-year old burst onto the scenes with an excellent 2016/17 campaign for the Biancocelesti when he scored 7 goals and registered 10 assists in 39 appearances across all competitions.
The Serbian international has continued to enhance his burgeoning reputation in the ongoing season, having already notched up 11 goals and set up seven more in 42 games.
Milinkovic-Savic is known for his all-round abilities in the middle of the park, where he combines defensive nous and tenacity with attacking intent and forward drive. And add to that, the 23-year old’s eye for a goal from the midfield makes him an exciting young prospect to have in the squad.
The Serbian midfielder has a contract that runs till the summer of 2022 with Lazio and the Serie A outfit value him at a whopping £89 million – the same amount that Manchester United shelled out to sign Paul Pogba from Juventus in the summer of 2016. It remains to be seen if the Red Devils press forward with interest in him or decide to look at cheaper alternatives.
