Lazio president says he won’t stand in Sergej Milinkovic-Savic’s way if he wants to leave
Manchester United target Sergej Milinkovic-Savic will have the final say on his future, Lazio president Claudio Lotito has revealed.
The midfielder was the subject of a £72 million bid from Old Trafford this summer, but the Serie A side continue to hold out for £90m.
PSG have also shown interest in the Serbia international and Lotito has admitted that the club could be willing to let him go if the 24-year-old decides he wants a new challenge.
“We have created a glass house and understood that people cannot be forced to play their role in an environment where they feel restricted,” he told Corriere dello Sport.
“This is not the case with Sergej. He showed great affection, responsibility and seriousness. It will depend on the events and not on the club.
“Last year I managed to reject the assaults, this year we could propose a matter of respect if the player were to propose a different solution.
“Lazio will never be weakened but always strengthened, there is no doubt about this: it is our understanding.
“All the promoted actions have as their objective the pride of the Lazio brand. We have moved from the phase in which no one believed our objectives, to today where the team is permanently present in European competitions.”
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Milinkovic-Savic scored five league goals last season and was named as the Serie A midfielder of the year.
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Alasdair Mackenzie is a freelance journalist based in Rome, and a FourFourTwo contributor since 2015. When not pulling on the FFT shirt, he can be found at Reuters, The Times and the i. An Italophile since growing up on a diet of Football Italia on Channel 4, he now counts himself among thousands of fans sharing a passion for Ross County and Lazio.