Personal terms agreed: Arsenal set to announce first deal of the summer for £35m-rated Serie A star, New deal will be valid until June 2027 — club announcement follows this week
According to Corriere dello Sport (via SportWitness), Arsenal could be handed fresh incentive to sign Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic this summer.
The Serbian star has been linked with a move away from Lazio for many seasons and the speculation has once again begun ahead of the summer transfer window. Milinkovic-Savic’s contract with the Serie A outfit expires in the summer of 2024 and Corriere dello Sport claim that club president Claudio Lolito is likely to cash in on him.
The same source report that Lolito is looking for £35 million to sell the 28-year-old but it will be a success if he gets £22-26 million. Corriere dello Sport report that his agent will re-establish contacts with interested clubs, Arsenal in particular. The Premier League would be a welcome destination for the playmaker.
Top-class
Granit Xhaka has been touted to leave Arsenal in the coming weeks. He has already agreed personal terms with Bayer Leverkusen and his transfer to the German top-flight could be completed soon.
Milinkovic-Savic could be seen as a like-for-like replacement. The Serbian has been one of the best box-to-box midfielders in Serie A for many years. This season, he has netted 11 goals and provided 8 assists for Lazio.
The Rome outfit have qualified for next season’s Champions League but he is eyeing a new challenge after eight seasons. Arsenal could be a lucrative destination with his desire to play in the Premier League.
Arsenal are known to be long-term admirers of the talented Serbian but the big question mark is whether they will make an approach for him. The club have ambitious plans to sign Declan Rice this summer.
The West Ham United captain is seen as a future number 8 by manager Mikel Arteta. Arsenal are favourites to sign the England star. He could cost a nine-figure sum but would be a superb long-term signing.
He is only 24 years of age compared to Milinkovic-Savic, who is 28. Rice also has huge Premier League experience and could adapt instantly. Hence, Arsenal may not pursue Milinkovic-Savic unless they are eyeing two midfielders.
