Liverpool ready to 'sacrifice' Joe Gomez for £61m Lazio midfielder
Liverpool are looking at ways to improve their midfield and have targeted Sergej Milinkovic-Savic as an option to help their cause, with a deal planned for the Serbian, according to reports.
The Reds have been severely depleted in midfield with injuries and form affecting them in the middle of the park, and are targeting reinforcements to help their situation, with Milinkovic-Savic the latest consideration.
The Serbian has started the season well, netting four goals and providing five assists as Lazio sit in fourth in Serie A, with the hope of getting back into the Champions League in the next season.
Jurgen Klopp’s club have planned out a way to make a deal happen, and could offer Joe Gomez in the hope of bringing down the high fee set by the Rome club.
Liverpool planning to sign Lazio star
Milinkovic-Savic’s contract at Lazio expires in the summer of 2024, meaning that if Lazio want a fee for him, they will have to sell him in one of the next two windows or manage to extend his contract at the Stadio Olimpico.
He has been of interest to various clubs in the past, most notably Manchester United, who targeted him as recently as this past summer when they were looking for midfield options for themselves.
Italian publication TMW suggest Lazio value the player at £63 million, something Liverpool consider to be excessive, but they could offer Gomez with a view to halving that demanded fee for the midfielder.
Sergej Milinković-Savić's game by numbers vs. Spezia:
100% take-on success
98 touches
11 duels won
8x possession won
6 aerial duels won
4 shots
4 touches in opp. box
2 fouls won
2 shots on target
2 goals
At the double this afternoon. ⚽⚽ pic.twitter.com/xAusC3S6nl— Squawka (@Squawka) October 2, 2022
Gomez is reportedly valued at £31 million by the English club and that could provide a huge boost in the bid to sign Milinkovic-Savic, while losing a player with a sporadic role on their own team.
Liverpool’s main objective continues to be Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham, and they will make a strong push to sign the English midfielder from the German club next summer.
They will, however, face stiff competition as other clubs across England and Europe such as Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United and Real Madrid are also interested in him.