Barcelona have identified Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic as a transfer target for the summer transfer window, but the Serbian international’s price tag is a stumbling block in their efforts to bring the Serie A star to the Camp Nou.
The 23-year-old has been in fine for the Italian outfit this season, scoring 11 goals and registering three assists in 32 league appearances. According to Mundo Deportivo, his form has seen him attract interest from top clubs across Europe.
Apart from the La Liga winners, Juventus, this season’s Champions League finalists Real Madrid, Ligue 1 winners Paris Saint-Germain, Premier League winners Manchester City, their local rivals Manchester United and Chelsea are all interested in Milinkovic-Savic.
The midfielder is contracted to the Roman club until 2022. His impressive display for Lazio has seen his asking price rise as his employers value their prized asset around €80m.
Barcelona technical secretary Robert Fernandez has watched Milinkovic-Savic in action for Lazio on several occasions, when he was scouting his club teammate Stefan de Vrij. The Dutch defender is a free agent and has already confirmed he will leave the Italian outfit after the 2017/18 season.
Milinkovic-Savic is also open to the idea of swapping Lazio for Barcelona, according to the claims. However, his asking price has made the Blaugrana consider other alternatives.
Ernesto Valverde has set his sights on signing Gremio midfielder Arthur. They have long been chasing the Brazilian and the former Athletic Bilbao manager believes he would be a better fit for Barcelona than Milinkovic-Savic. In addition to this, the South American will not be as expensive as the Lazio player.
Valverde’s decision to opt for Arthur, and Milinkovic-Savic’s price tag, could come as a welcome boost for other clubs interested in his services. The same report claims Jose Mourinho’s side are ahead in the race, but any approach from United will see them face heavy competition from clubs in England and across Europe.
Even thought it’s stated Lazio value their player at €80m, and this is too much for Barcelona, in Italy it’s been reported the asking price may be around double that figure. In today’s market, €80m doesn’t seem too unreasonable.
