Who is Sergej Milinkovic-Savic? Lazio's €80m powerhouse wanted by Man Utd and Madrid

Martin Macdonald

29 Mar 2022 04:06 CDT
6 min read

Should Real Madrid sign Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic? — © ProShots

Over the last few years, one of the most consistently excellent performers in Serie has been Lazio powerhouse Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.

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The Serbian has earned himself quite the reputation, to the point where he has been a transfer target for Europe's top clubs for a while now.

Milinkovic-Savic has developed into a fantastic advanced playmaker, able to impact the game box-to-box, utilising his physicality.

So, what kind of player is he, and who wants to sign him?

What position does Sergej Milinkovic-Savic play in?

Milinkovic-Savic plays as a central midfielder, usually in an advanced area behind the striker.

How good is Sergej Milinkovic-Savic?

While Milinkovic-Savic would have to prove that he’s good enough to make the step up to the Premier League, any suitors would be forgiven for getting excited about Milinkovic-Savic based on his form in the Italian top-flight.

In 223 Serie A games, Milinkovic-Savic has bagged no less than 45 goals and 38 assists for Lazio and in this season alone he’s picked up eight goals and eight assists in 29 league games.

Indeed, Milinkovic-Savic has shown for a number of years now that he’s perfectly adept at scoring and creating goals in equal measure.

Though the Serbian is a good ball player, his best attribute is probably his physicality as he is tall, strong, good in the air and can stride forward with ease.

A couple of years ago, the player was tipped for greatness by his agent, former Chelsea star Mateja Kezman.

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“He has remarkable attributes and you’ll not find another player in the world with that power, muscular structure and height combined with technique and tactical awareness,” Kezman told Mozzart Sport.

“He has the touch of a Brazilian and some of the things he does remind me of Zinedine Zidane.

“Milinkovic-Savic is the most effective midfielder in Europe right now, as he can score goals in a variety of ways and has a good head on his shoulders. I’ve played with Arjen Robben, Frank Lampard and some of the best in Europe and I think Sergej can surpass them if he keeps this up.

“He could soon be a candidate for the Ballon d’Or.”

What clubs are interested in Sergej Milinkovic-Savic?

Numerous elite clubs have been linked with Milinkovic-Savic over the past two years, including Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain.

Man Utd are understood to be leading the race for his signature, according to a number of Italian sources including Calciomercato and Il Tempo, but the player himself has another dream in mind.

“I have dreamt of playing for Real Madrid since I was a child," he told Diario AS.

"This is the greatest goal of my career and I will do everything possible to achieve it.”

Il Tempo reported at the end of March that Man Utd are set to make a summer bid for Milinkovic-Savic, with Lazio rating the midfielder at €80 million.