There has been constant contact between Juventus and the agent of Sergej Milinkovic-Savic for potential a transfer to the Old Lady in the summer.
Juventus are still in the dark about whether Adrion Rabiot might leave the club due to his ambition of playing in the UCL, as he hasn’t signed the contract extension given a while back.
Juventus do have a limited budget this summer given the cost-cutting and downsizing. Still, they need a midfielder for their midfield pivot alongside Manuel Locatelli or Nicolo Fagioli, who can fit into Max Allegri’s 3-5-2 formation and who can stay near the opposition box to score goals in the absence of Adrion Rabiot, the kind of player Juve hasn’t have since Sami Khedira. Milinkovic-Savic knows Italian football well and the midfielder often visits Turin because his brother has carved out an essential space for himself at Torino in recent years.
While formal contact has not been established between the two clubs but there is a feeling that the deal might be struck this summer as Lazio demand €40 million, which Juve consider much for Juve for a player who has a year left in his contract, report La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Maurizio Sarri has already identified Nicollo Rovella, the 21-year-old defensive midfielder as a replacement for the Serbian midfielde. As for the Lazio midfielder, the agreement with Juventus has existed for some time. His agent Mateja Kezman has already had various contacts with Juve and there is an agreement in principle for a four-year contract at €4 million euros per season (at Lazio he earns just over €3 million).
Since Joining Lazio in the 2015/16 season Milinkovic Savic has scored 57 goals and 45 assists in all competitions, with an xG of 0.21 and xAG of 0.18 per match he is the missing piece in the Juve’s midfield pivot. At the moment, however, no big club has come forward and this plays in favor of Juventus. Milinkovic-Savic is 28 years old, is in the prime of his career, and would even give up the Champions League (which instead would play with Lazio) for the Old Lady. He is ready and complete, just like Allegri likes.
Inter have also been linked with a move for the midfielder, but it remains to be seen how his future pans out.
Krishnatreya Bhattacharya | GIFN
