Manchester United are preparing a £42 million offer for Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, while Erik ten Hag is looking for a plan B for Frenkie de Jong…
Manchester United are looking for midfield alternatives for Frenkie de Jong
Dutch international has made it clear that he does not want to come to Old Trafford
Erik ten Hag will reportedly turn his attention to Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. from Lazio
There are suggestions that United will make an initial offer of around £42million to Lazio
But the Italian club is likely to hold out for a fee closer to £60m
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Manchester United ‘will test Lazio’s determination with a £42 million bid for Sergej Milinkovic-Savic’ as Erik ten Hag seeks alternatives to Frenkie de Jong.
With hopes of signing the Barcelona midfielder quickly fading, United are expected to move to their No. 2 target of the 27-year-old Serbia international.
However, Lazio president Claudio Lotito is expected to hold out at a price closer to £59million for Milinkovic-Savic.
Man United are reportedly preparing an initial £42m offer for Sergej Milinkovic-Savic
United manager Erik ten Hag focuses on alternatives after Frenkie de Jong’s stump
Italian newspaper messagero report that the player’s agent is expected to make Lazio an offer they cannot refuse from United in early August.
Lotito will likely try to push the price up to somewhere closer to its asking price in an effort to avert fan dissatisfaction with the sale of a key asset.
Lazio fans are also annoyed by Roma’s resurgence under Jose Mourinho and their recent signing of Juventus striker Paulo Dybala.
They will target Napoli’s Piotr Zielinski as Milinkovic-Savic’s replacement should he leave, given his previous experience working with their manager Maurizio Sarri.
Barcelona midfielder De Jong was United’s first choice, but he does not want to move
The Serb scored 11 goals and 11 assists for Lazio last season, sparking United’s interest
Milinkovic-Savic has been a Lazio player since 2015, scoring 58 goals in 294 appearances for the club from his box-to-box midfielder role.
He has long expressed a desire to play in a league outside of Serie A and United are in need of a midfield replacement for Paul Pogba, who has returned to Juventus.
Ten Hag will consider Milinkovic-Savic checking many of the required boxes, as his first choice De Jong did.
However, United are in dire need of a defensive midfield to protect their fragile defences, unlike a player like the Lazio man who is licensed to push forward and create.
Serbian international Milinkovic-Savic licensed at Lazio to advance and score goals
They already have Bruno Fernandes for a creative role and have also added Christian Eriksen this summer.
Ten Hag has also signed Tyrell Malacia, the left-back, and Lisandro Martinez, a centre-back, as he tries to give United back to the silverware contenders.