Milinkovic-Savic in Huge Demand

Serbia began their 2018 World cup campaign with a crucial 1-0 win over Costa Rica.  Roma’s Aleksandar Kolarov was the man who struck the crucial blow but it was the man from Rome’s other Serie A club, Lazio, who stole the headlines.

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic was at the heart of everything good about Serbia’s play in the attacking third and he sent Aleksandar Mitrovic through on goal only for the Newcastle United striker to be denied by Keylor Navas.

It was the creative threat of Milinkovic-Savic which caused Costa Rica problems and while there is tougher opposition to come in the group, the Serbian international has been on the radar of Manchester United for some time.

Classy Midfielder

Milinkovic-Savic has performed well for Lazio in Serie A and the Europa League, making him one of the top young attacking midfield talents in Europe.  Capable of playing as a box-to-box midfielder or further forward, Milinkovic-Savic is tall and possesses the ability and desire to make a tackle when required.

However, his real talent is hurting the opposition in attacking areas, using his excellent passing technique and close control.  In the 2017/18 Serie A season, Milinkovic-Savic scored 12 goals from midfield, which is a very good return, showing he has a keen eye for goal and the ability to take chances.

Manchester United have been linked with a move for the Serbian international throughout the 2017/18 campaign, with a potential transfer fee of £80 million.  However, the Red Devils have failed to make a bid before the start of the World Cup and Lazio will be hoping his performances on the biggest stage of all will increase his value.

Manchester United and Barcelona Linked

One sure way of increasing the value of a player is through a bidding war and it appears Milinkovic-Savic has caught the eye of Barcelona in recent weeks.

According to Mediaset Premium, a group of clubs, including Barcelona have joined the race to sign Milinkovic-Savic ahead of next season.

The Catalan giants will be without the services of Andres Iniesta next season as the Spanish international has joined Vissel Kobe in Japan.  This leaves the La Liga champions with a huge hole to fill in the centre of the pitch.  While Milinkovic-Savic is not the same type of player as Iniesta and could not replace the legend, the Serb would be a very welcome addition to the Barcelona midfield for next season.

Having already signed Fred from Shakhtar Donetsk, Jose Mourinho may decide to bolster other areas of his team before spending funds on another midfielder.  This could open the door for Barcelona and if Milinkovic-Savic enjoys a good World Cup with Serbia, the Catalan giants may not be the only big team from Spain eyeing up his services ahead of the new campaign.