Premier League giants Liverpool are desperate to add some quality to their ranks this summer as they look to fight for the league title as well as the Champions League, where they managed to qualify for on the final day of the season. One of the many players linked with a move to Anfield this summer is Lazio’s Sergej Milinković-Savić.
According to reports in Italy, Liverpool have had a £24.7m bid rejected for the 22-year old for a move this summer. The report suggests that Lazio will ask in excess of £60m for his service but Liverpool are desperate and will negotiate for the price. So what will he add to the squad at Anfield?
Standing at 6ft 3in, Savic is a dominating midfielder who loves to run the game in the middle of the field. Capable of playing as an attacking midfielder, Savic is comfortable in a central role where he can influence both ends of the field.
Known for his height and dominance in the air, the 22-year old is a surprisingly good dribbler with excellent ball control to go with. His through balls are path breaking and he adds creativity to his side even from a deeper role. He is also adept at sitting back and shutting shop when needed and is probably the exact kind of a player Liverpool have missed in the previous season.
Though he has made almost 60 Serie A appearances for Lazio, he is yet to make it into the senior Serbian side and moving to Liverpool will certainly help him in this quest.
The Reds have used Emre Can and Jordan Henderson as the deepest of the midfielders last season while Lucas Leiva, who was also decent in that position, is not expected to be in the first team plans. They need a player who is defensively aware and can also contribute in attack and Klopp has found a smart player in Savic. He can also add some mettle to the Liverpool defence during set-pieces, which will come as a blessing for them.
The Reds lack a CDM in their squad but Klopp is usually happy to field an XI without a recognised CDM and might not be spending on a player like that this summer. His interest in the likes of Naby Keita shows that the manager is looking for a player who can add balance to the squad and the Serbian could be a superb addition for them.
However, at £60m he is a tad too expensive and there is little chance of Liverpool spending such fee on an unknown talent from Serie A. So should Liverpool further negotiate for the 22-year old?
