According to Daily Mail, Manchester United have reached a verbal agreement with Sergej-Milinkovic Savic. The Serbian international endured a not so pleasing campaign last season, and in fear of losing his valuation, Lazio will be keen to cash in on the midfielder this summer. The report claims that Milinkovic-Savic’s agent is due to arrive in London to hold talks with United.
However, his potential move to Old Trafford will be dependent on whether or not Real Madrid manage to secure the services of Paul Pogba. Milinkovic-Savic will likely be considered as a replacement for the Frenchman. But, how does the Lazio star stack up against the World Cup winner?
Style of play
Milinkovic-Savic’s success at Old Trafford will likely revolve around what he can offer to the table. The Serbian is viewed as a dynamic midfielder, who is known for his tenacity and aggression. Both him and Pogba have a similar stature, but the Lazio star is much more effective in aerial duels.
Besides, the 24-year-old can also move up the pitch and fabricate scoring opportunities for his team. But, he is not as attacking as Pogba, whose proficiency in providing accurate long balls in behind the defence makes him an excellent source of creativity.
The Frenchman is also physically dominant, allowing him to resist pressure from opposing defenders. This, in turn, enables him to act as the ball-carrier, especially in half-spaces. The ex-Juventus superstar is a threat from long-range as well. However, Milinkovic is much more aware of his defensive duties, which evens things out between these two excellent central midfielders.
Statistical comparison
When it comes to statistics, neither of these two players have attained extraordinary numbers in passing. But, Pogba’s pass completion rate of 82% is slightly better than Milinkovic-Savic’s paltry 79%, though that number could improve at Manchester United.
SMS lags behind in terms of shots as well, with the Serbian averaging 2.5 attempts per game to Pogba’s three. His tally of 1.2 successful tackles per game is also not better than his French counterpart (1.3). But, his high volume of attempted tackles (2.6 to Pogba’s 2.1) is suggestive of the midfielder’s willingness to win back possession for his team.
It also signifies Minikovic-Savic’s astute defensive nature, with the Lazio star leading Pogba in nearly all of the defensive aspects including interceptions (0.9 & 0.5), clearances (1.5 & 1) and headed duels (3.6 and 1.7).
Stat courtesy: Whoscored
Is Milinkovic-Savic the ideal replacement for Pogba?
It’s unlikely Milinkovic-Savic will manage to replace Pogba, in terms of what he had offered to the table for Manchester United. But, the Serbian is fully capable of enhancing the aspect of the midfield unit that has been decimated with the departure of Ander Herrera.
Milinkovic-Savic, in that regard, will provide some much-needed urgency that would make Manchester United more vigilant in the middle third of the pitch. Hence, the ex-Genk prodigy is undoubtedly a viable option for the Red Devils.
