Liverpool are reportedly interested in making a swoop for Lazio’s Serbian international midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic in the summer transfer window.
According to a report from Italian publication Il Messaggero, Liverpool could be set to raid Serie A giants Lazio for the signing of midfield mainstay Sergej Milinkovic-Savic in the ongoing transfer window.
The summer window is open for business in the Premier League already and Liverpool have already made their first signing, with Ibrahima Konate arriving from RB Leipzig. Having sorted their defence, Jurgen Klopp & co. seem to have now turned their focus towards bolstering their midfield unit, where reinforcements are needed.
Indeed, the departure of Georginio Wijnaldum, who signed for Paris Saint-Germain on a Bosman transfer, has left a gaping hole in the middle of the park for Liverpool. While they do have options in Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and youngster Curtis Jones, the former two are staring at uncertain futures at Anfield, while the latter seems to have dropped down the pecking order under Klopp this past season.
In addition to that, James Milner turned 35 this year and will need his game-time and workload managed more carefully. With Jordan Henderson also battling injury problems over the past season, it only makes sense for Liverpool to invest in a new central midfielder despite having brought in Thiago Alcantara last summer.
To that end, the 2019/20 Premier League champions have been linked with numerous central midfielders ranging from Barcelona’s teenage prodigy Pedri to Saul Niguez of Atletico Madrid, who is also a target for Manchester United. Now, Milinkovic-Savic has emerged as another potential candidate that Liverpool are considering to strengthen their midfield unit before the next season kicks off.
Having joined Lazio from Belgian outfit KRC Genk in 2015, Milinkovic-Savic has grown into one of the top midfielders in Serie A in recent years. To date, the 26-year-old has made 247 appearances for the Biancocelesti, scoring 47 goals and setting up 38 more for his teammates. The midfielder is coming on the back of a solid 2020/21 season, which saw him produce a tally of 8 goals and 11 assists from 41 games in all competitions.
A player that has been on the radars of several top clubs in the past, the report claims that Liverpool have been following Milinkovic-Savic for quite a while now and are considering making an offer for him through his agent Mateja Kezman. However, Lazio have no intention of losing the Serbian international, with new manager Maurizio Sarri keen on building his team around him and fellow midfielder and former Liverpool star Luis Alberto.
So, the Reds might not be able to pull off the signing of Milinkovic-Savic this summer. But there is no shortage of alternatives, with Liverpool also interested in AS Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini. So, as things stand, a new central midfielder seems to be a priority for Klopp & co. As to who they end up signing, only time will tell.
