Manchester United are reportedly seriously considering the possibility to pursue the signature of Fiorentina star Nikola Milenkovic in January.
It seems Manchester United are indeed growing desperate to add to their defensive options in January, if the report from Sky Sports is to be believed. Jose Mourinho has been scouting Nikola Milenkovic for a while and is now reportedly going to pursue the Fiorentina star’s signature in January.
Nikola Milenkovic was plying his trade in the Serbian domestic league before being snapped up by Fiorentina in the summer of 2017. His debut Serie A season saw him get to grips with the footballing system in Italy, with 16 league appearances against his name.
But, the 2018-19 season has seen Milenkovic become an established member of the Fiorentina squad. La Viola have struggled recently, thanks to their streak of four draws in the league with the identical 1-1 scoreline. But, Milenkovic has impressed with his guile at the back on the right side of the defence while also contributing in attack with two crucial goals so far this season.
Manchester United have been interested in Milenkovic for a fair couple of months now. There have been rumours of Bayern Munich entering the race to compete against United for the Fiorentina star. But, the Red Devils have remained a constant mention alongside Milenkovic in the recent reports.
Jose Mourinho seems to have lost faith in Antonio Valencia, taking a drastic measure in deploying left-heavy Ashley Young at right-back as long as Diogo Dalot recuperates from his injury layoff. Valencia is still the club captain but has clearly not been seeing eye-to-eye with the manager, according to various sources.
Also, the latest updates stated that the Manchester United board are against any short-term fixes that will be suggested by Jose Mourinho but will back the manager in the market in relation to players who will be a favourable addition to the Manchester United portfolio.
Earlier reports have indicated a value around £40 million. But, Fiorentina will likely place a hefty price tag on Milenkovic. Manchester United though, are desperate, judging by the report, which means Mourinho could direct the Board to land Milenkovic.
The priority should still be a centre-back. But, Milenkovic’s arrival could kill two birds with one stone. The Serbian is also adept at playing as a centre-back and would be a quality addition, one that satiates the current need of Manchester United.
