Manchester United target £57 million Sergej Milinković-Savić as they look to bolster depleted midfield amid Frenkie de Jong doubts

With Manchester United in desperate need of a midfielder, it was only a matter of time before they were linked to Sergej Milinković-Savić again, and this time buying him makes sense.

United’s midfield has been in need of a total revamp for a number of years now, and that need slapped the club straight in the face on Sunday as they lost their opening Premier League game 2-1 to Brighton.

The performance from United’s midfield pairing specifically was one of the worst that Old Trafford has seen in a while, which says a lot.

The panic button has officially been hit with regards to signings, being linked to players like Adrien Rabiot who are just signings for the sake of signings and do not bring anything useful to the squad.

The need for Frenkie de Jong was always great, with some still confident that United sign him. But Sunday showed that United are in need of two good quality midfielders.

Now, as reported by the Telegraph’s Jason Burt, Manchester United have been linked to a player who it feels like they get linked to every single summer in Sergej Milinković-Savić.

The report states that this, and the Rabiot links, follow on from an increasing realisation that Frenkie de Jong is not open to joining Manchester United.

Some higher ups at Old Trafford believe that the player is too set on remaining at Barcelona to want to make the move to Manchester.

Frenkie de Jong in Barcelona action. (Alamy)

This is despite Barcelona trying to pressure the player into a reduced contract, even going as far as to threaten legal action against the Dutchman.

It is expected that by the end of the week his future will be known and the saga complete, with the deadline for La Liga’s cost controls falling then.

Lazio are aware of United’s interest in the Serbian, and despite them not wanting to sell some intermediaries believe that a deal can be done for Milinković-Savić.

The Italian side are considering offering the 27 year old an extension to his contract, which expires in 2024.

Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News has added that the Reds are considering a £57.5 million bid for the midfielder.

Whilst in the past, a deal for Milinković-Savić did not feel like the perfect fit, this time it makes sense to go for him.

United’s midfield is the weakest it has been in the Premier League era, and Milinković-Savić adds undeniable quality to the midfield.

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic in action for Lazio. (Alamy)

In possession, he is excellent and will bring a lot to United’s side. He is also able to add plenty of goals and assists from midfield, which is another bonus.

If United are able to secure his signing alongside the signing of De Jong, then they will have gone from having one of the weakest midfield pairings in the Premier League to one of the strongest.