Sergej Milinkovic-Savic

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Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is preparing to pay a club record £95m to sign 22-year-old Lazio and Serbia midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.

This story has done the rounds a bit over the last few days.

Heard this guys name on various podcasts sounds very highly rated but that price is just mental, I don't see how you can pay that sort of money for a guy who hasn't proven it in the Champions League.
 
Actually watched a couple of Lazio games this season and he’s been very impressive. May even catch them tonight against Torino as I have Lazio in an accumulator.

I think he is your typical modern midfielder, really good defensively and offensively. He’s also physically imposing so he’s not going to be intimidated. Think his passing can let him down at times but he’s still young so has plenty of time to iron out those issues. £95m is ridiculous money but maybe half of that I think he’d be good value but suppose transfer fees these days are crazy. If we got Goretzka and Milinkovic-Savic in the next couple of windows then our midfield would be set.
 
Would you say he’s similar to Bakayoko at Chelsea?

You can see all the raw materials are there which makes him a good player but he’s still got a lot of rough edges to work out to be a great player?
 
Yeah he has all the potential in the world but maybe he hasn’t really nailed down a specific role, he has been deployed in various positions, I even read he is very adept in the hole behind the striker. Think he could be considered similar to Bakayoko but if I was making comparisons I would say more in the ilk of Nainggolan as your modern box to box midfielder. One thing I have noticed he does try the Hollywood passes which don’t always come off, maybe he needs to learn to play it simple at times but that’ll all come with experience.

I think he would be a wonderful signing, alongside Matic and Pogba I think we would have a physically imposing midfield that could dominate anyone because they would be all very good in the ball and able to retain possession effectively.
 
Actually watched a couple of Lazio games this season and he’s been very impressive. May even catch them tonight against Torino as I have Lazio in an accumulator.

Immobile getting sent off for a headbut isn’t gonna help Superash!
 
I’ve seen him play better then this no doubt. He stuck a corner in that ‘The Big Show’ wouldn’t have got on the end of. Then nearly killed someone by tackling them into the advertising boards.

Think there’s better options out there and the fees hardly a bargain. Just sceptical about Italian league signings. Icardi Dybala cool cool but there’s some serious over rated duds out there. jorginho is another guy i do like out here.
 
I’ve seen him play better then this no doubt. He stuck a corner in that ‘The Big Show’ wouldn’t have got on the end of. Then nearly killed someone by tackling them into the advertising boards.

Think there’s better options out there and the fees hardly a bargain. Just sceptical about Italian league signings. Icardi Dybala cool cool but there’s some serious over rated duds out there. jorginho is another guy i do like out here.
Haha proper Balkan challenge that!

I see where you are coming from with the scepticism over signings from Serie A, there have been a few over the years that have been less than successful, ala Aquilani, Jovetic and Osvaldo, who all came with a good reputation. Savic just seems like he has all the traits to be successful in the EPL, obviously he’s not worth what is quoted but who is these days? I agree about Jorginho, looks a real talent.
 
I see where you are coming from with the scepticism over signings from Serie A, there have been a few over the years that have been less than successful, ala Aquilani, Jovetic and Osvaldo, who all came with a good reputation. Savic just seems like he has all the traits to be successful in the EPL, obviously he’s not worth what is quoted but who is these days? I agree about Jorginho, looks a real talent.

I agree I can see him playing over here and adapting fine. His a big lad. He can tackle strongly as we’ve seen tonight. Good on the ball. Ticks a lot of boxes. Maybe it’s just me but I’m not getting that Louie Walsh X factor feel about him.

I’d like us to go out and get someone who can really pick passes and keep the ball. But has an engine to go up and down. Just to slot in between Matic and Pogba and balance it all out. Jorginho and Goretzka are two guys I’ve seen do that who I like.

Don’t think going down to 10 helped Savic tonight so I’ll try again with him. But if he tackles like that Michael Oliver would have a field day with the lad!
 
How much lol jesus wept what is going on with transfer prices, never seen the lad play so not to sure but that is just a crazy amount of money to be paying for a kid who has had a good season or two in Italy, although saying that if the kid can pass it forward and not panic in possession, I would pay 195m for him at this moment in time lol
 
How much lol jesus wept what is going on with transfer prices, never seen the lad play so not to sure but that is just a crazy amount of money to be paying for a kid who has had a good season or two in Italy, although saying that if the kid can pass it forward and not panic in possession, I would pay 195m for him at this moment in time lol

I'm guessing the fee is based on some buyout clause in his contract, it was the same with Bellotti last summer.

Prices haven't quite adjusted to the Neymar one from last summer, the top price being pushed up so high sort of means everything else gets dragged up with it so we've paid £75m for Lukaku pre Neymar he'd have cost £100m after that deal.
 
I'm guessing the fee is based on some buyout clause in his contract, it was the same with Bellotti last summer.

Prices haven't quite adjusted to the Neymar one from last summer, the top price being pushed up so high sort of means everything else gets dragged up with it so we've paid £75m for Lukaku pre Neymar he'd have cost £100m after that deal.

And his price now haha
 
And his price now haha

Mad thing is because of Neymar he's probably worth more than we paid for him but the only way you make profit is if other clubs would want him which they wouldn't.

I mean because of Neymar Pogba is arguably worth double what we paid for him but PSG are the only club who could in theory pay it.
 
Lazio 2-0 down today, SMS went and scored a brace to pull it back to 2-2, game finished 3-3.
 
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I mean I know the whole FFP thing is a bit of a joke but surely PSG can't afford another mega signing after last summer.

They already played the system by taking Mbappe on loan for this season before paying £160m next summer so surely they can't spend that again.
 
Completely far fetched, but I have been wondering if the Neymar deal was a temporary one so he could join Madrid. If they flog him for a bundle....
 
There's all sorts of rumours about how that Neymar deal worked there were some stories that because he paid his buyout clause himself that PSG don't actually have to put it on the books because the owners gave him the money directly rather than through PSG so technically he was signed as a free agent as far as FFP is concerned, although I think that story was just speculation.

Certainly seems to be a lot of noise about Madrid imagine the media storm if he did that but I don't see how anyone can pay PSG more than what they paid for him.
 
All this right here is why football is becoming a corporate sport and less and less working type men are bothering going, all the FFP and the ways around it, basically cheating the system, etc. part of my love for football was watching kids come through the system, buying decent players for decent money but bloody hell now its just spiraling completely out of control.

Part of the reason now why I only watch United and don't bother with any other leagues etc.

Sorry guys rant over haha have a top Christmas everyone!
 
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Seems to be quite of speculation in the last few days that we are close to agreeing a deal for SMS.

He’s going to a star but I do worry that our midfield is going to be quite samey if he does arrive. Three big tall strong guys who are all class acts but could they work all together? SMS and Pogba are quite similar so it would be very interesting to see how they all work together.
 
All the stuff I’ve read about him is he’s very similar to Pogba and I’m not sure you can have 2 of them in the same midfield 3 and surely you can’t rotate 2 80m midfield players.

Is Pogba leaving and this is us lining up his replacement or does Jose have a special plan up his sleeve.
 
My thoughts exactly mate, was reading an article about him yesterday that was saying he struggled last season in a 433/4231 but has excelled this year under a new coach playing 352, im not to sure if he is a bit more defensively aware than Pogba, be interesting if he plays them two either side of Matic who will just sit.

Modric/Kroos are quite similar players and play either side of Casameiro or whoever and seems to work, be a risk though for 80m quid
 
Is Pogba leaving and this is us lining up his replacement or does Jose have a special plan up his sleeve.

I think Pogba might get the armband, and a new contract....

Don't know anything about Savic really. So can't comment, obviously he's not on my list of players I want in the middle :)
 
I think Pogba might get the armband, and a new contract....

Don't know anything about Savic really. So can't comment, obviously he's not on my list of players I want in the middle :)

Unless Valencia leaves I can't see anyone other than him getting it after Carrick as I don't think Mourinho wants to make any of his superstars a captain if anything he wants a quiet captain who keeps a low profile.

We all know who's on your list but there's at least 4 more years before Kroos fulfills your wishes like Schweinstieger did.
 
Unless Valencia leaves I can't see anyone other than him getting it after Carrick as I don't think Mourinho wants to make any of his superstars a captain if anything he wants a quiet captain who keeps a low profile.

We all know who's on your list but there's at least 4 more years before Kroos fulfills your wishes like Schweinstieger did.

:D

Unfortunately Schweini was a few years too late, and De Rossi never turned up :(

I would like Kroos, bit difficult though, I do think we could get Verratti somehow, he would be my top pick.

I know he gets slated a lot, and he's not brilliant, plus there will be English and Levy tax, but I'd even take Dier. I think he could be ok. I would still take Matuidi too.
 
I don't think Utd can afford to sign OK players we need top class players for me Dier doesn't get in our starting XI so there's no point in signing him if we sign a midfielder he needs to be better than Matic, Pogba or Herrera. Matuidi might fall into that category as would Khedira as they're arguably better than Herrera but I don't think Dier is. I don't dislike Dier as a player I just don't think he's much of an upgrade on what we have.

Utd I think need to forget the already established big names get our scouts out there to find the next Kroos or Modric or Matuidi who haven't made that jump to big clubs yet and get them in as they're hitting their peak.
 
Need better passers in midfield and I don't think this guy is that guy. He'd be a great upgrade on Fellaini to play in a 4-3-3. In the past few seasons, we've really missed Carrick dictating things, knowing when to pass sideways or play a more risky pass and also being able to speed up play and switching the play. I think we're often a bit to slow getting it from one side of the pitch to the other, Carrick used to receive from the right and with one or two touch it would be on the left. We dawdle on the ball too much, Pogba and Matic both like to have the ball and run with it and that's fine at times but it's much quicker to pass the ball, I think Pogba in particular backs himself physically too much and he often gets caught out. So we need better passers to dictate how we play. Could really do with Carrick and Scholes clones.
 
Need better passers in midfield and I don't think this guy is that guy. He'd be a great upgrade on Fellaini to play in a 4-3-3. In the past few seasons, we've really missed Carrick dictating things, knowing when to pass sideways or play a more risky pass and also being able to speed up play and switching the play. I think we're often a bit to slow getting it from one side of the pitch to the other, Carrick used to receive from the right and with one or two touch it would be on the left. We dawdle on the ball too much, Pogba and Matic both like to have the ball and run with it and that's fine at times but it's much quicker to pass the ball, I think Pogba in particular backs himself physically too much and he often gets caught out. So we need better passers to dictate how we play. Could really do with Carrick and Scholes clones.
Yeah I think a fully fit and in his pomp Carrick is what we’ve been missing in recent seasons. He dictated play and was always looking to get the ball forward and start attacks. So many times our midfield receives it but dilly and dallies on the ball and end up going backwards. We’ve never replaced Scholes effectively but we really need to find someone in the Carrick mould who will always look to be positive in his passing and play.

Oh and yeah I wouldn’t take Dier either. He is a good midfielder but nothing more, nothing less.
 
If we had a choice of all the midfielders available I wouldn't go near him, but he could do Matics job and give him a break.

I think we need at least 3 midfielders, whether being bought or from the youth system. You have got to be a little realistic, we're not going to go and buy all the top class midfielders.
 
I think we need 5 centre mids for next season assuming we stick with the 4-3-3 assuming Fellaini & Carrick go then we need two more. Ideally I'd want an alternative to Matic who's a bit more of a playmaker and someone similar to Herrera to provide the energy so basically a like for like Carrick replacement and if we could find one an upgrade on Herrera. I don't think SMS fits either of those bills based on the descriptions I've read about him it feels like we'd be signing another square part for a round hole.

It's really hard to tell what's going on with Pogba my gut feeling is the tension between player and manager reached breaking point earlier in the season it seems to have cooled again lately so it's unlikely he goes anywhere in the summer but it won't take a lot for it all to spill over again next season.

We seem to be building a squad for the 4-3-3 formation all talk of signing number 10's seems to have gone out the window after we didn't get Griezmann last summer, the back 3 we experimented with at times early in the season hasn't been seen for a long time so it seems 4-3-3 is the way forward for us for the time being. Not sure SMS fits that unless Pogba leaves because they both want that attacking free role in the 3 and Mourinho doesn't strike me as being brave enough to play 2 players like that in his midfield like Pep does at City. He seems to want one attacker, one defender and his 3rd guy is a link between but generally is more defensive minded.
 

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