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Arsenal have received a boost in their pursuit of Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. The 27-year-old Serbian has been made available for just £35 million this summer as his contract with the Serie A side is set to expire in the summer of 2024, according to Italian outlet Correire dello Sport.
Milinkovic-Savic is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world, and the Gunners have had their eye on him for a while now. Mikel Arteta's side have long been interested in bringing a midfielder to the Emirates.
The Serbian could prove to be a quality addition to Arsenal in the middle of the park. With Lazio ready to settle for a minimal price, the Gunners will certainly expect a lot of competition. The north London side already have the likes of Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, and Granit Xhaka in midfield.
They have already added ex-Chelsea man Jorginho in the winter transfer window, but will look to improve their squad. With the team gearing up for UEFA Champions League football next season, Milinkovic-Savic could prove to be a valuable addition if they want to make a long run in the competition.
Lazio had earlier fought very hard to keep the player in Rome, but with reports that they are ready to offload him for a price much lower than his actual value, many teams will be looking to add a player of his quality.
Milinkovic-Savic has played a key role for Lazio this season as the team is pushing for a top-four spot. He has six goals and eight assists in 30 appearances for the Biancocelesti this season.
Mikel Arteta explains Arsenal's return to form after sticky run
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has credited 'going back to the basics' as the reason behind the Gunners getting out of a slump.
The north London side originally had an eight-point lead at the top of the table, which they lost following a loss to Manchester City.
However, they have recovered well and have regained top spot with wins over Aston Villa and Leicester City.
Arteta said of their response over the past eight days:
“Really important because it creates more belief in the players, around the club and externally. But I had the belief the players could do it. It was [about] coming back to some details and basics that got games away from us. The last two games, especially today, we have done it much more.”
