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The only veteran fullback to have avoided the cull at Manchester City, Aleksandr Kolarov knows he probably doesn’t have all that much time left in the Premier League.

Unless he can quickly convert himself into a better centre-back than John Stones, this could be his last season at the Etihad, with his deal with the Premier League club running out next summer.

 

With this in mind, his interview with the Italian media on Monday makes a lot of sense.

The Serbian defender, relayed by Il Messaggero, explained he’s been keeping an eye on what his former club, Lazio, have been up to since he left, and watched every single one of their games last year thanks to Sky.

And if there’s one place he wouldn’t mind returning to when his time with Manchester City comes to an end, it’s Rome.

He said: “I’ve won everything in Manchester, but Italy is something else. Although the stadiums and the football are still behind, I always miss it. One day, I’d like to return. Rome stayed in my heart. Forza Lazio and hi to all the fans.”

Convinced they’ll be able to put up a good fight in next season’s Europa League after coming fourth in Serie A last season, the defender also took some time to praise his compatriot Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, branding him a ‘phenomenon’ and the ‘future of Lazio and the national team’.

High-praise indeed from the Manchester City player.