According to a recent report by La Nazione (via Football-Italia), Barcelona are interested in acquiring the signature of Fiorentina centre-back Nikola Milenkovic. The same source has claimed that the Italian outfit could be willing to cash in on their prized asset when the transfer window reopens in January.
Milenkovic’s Rapid Rise In The Italian Top-Flight
The 22-year-old has enjoyed a brilliant start to this campaign and is currently in a good run of form for Fiorentina in the domestic competitions. The Serbian youngster has played in 13 matches for the Serie A outfit this term, scoring three goals in the process. More importantly, he has averaged 1.6 tackles, 1.0 interceptions and 3.3 clearances per game in the Italian top-flight (stats via whoscored).
With Milenkovic in such a rich vein of form, the Florence outfit would believe that they can get a sizable sum for their promising centre-back this winter. Since joining from Partizan in the summer of 2017, the Serbian talent has gone on to make 68 appearances for Fiorentina which is quite an impressive feat for a player of his age.
The Belgrad-born defender has also secured 16 international caps for the Serbian national side thus far and has netted one goal for his homeland thus far.
What Does The Fiorentina Defender Offer On The Pitch?
Milenkovic is a commanding presence inside his own box and can be dominant in the air. He can use his remarkable strength to overpower the opposition and win a lot of headers. The Serbian international is also a decent defender at the back and can make some important interceptions for the benefit of his team. He is undeniably a promising talent who has the potential to break into the world-class bracket in the coming years.
Will Milenkovic Be A Decent Option For The Spanish Champions?
However, at the moment, Milenkovic is not good enough to play for a club like Barcelona week in week out. It is a known fact that Ernesto Valverde needs to freshen up his options in defence after the Catalans conceded 15 goals in 12 matches in the La Liga this season.
Hence, recruiting Milenkovic could prove to be a costly mistake for Barca as he is yet to prove his worth at the highest level. The 22-year-old does not have any prior UEFA Champions League experience which makes him a questionable transfer option for Valverde in January.