According to a report from Sky Sports, West Ham United have identified Declan Rice‘s replacement as they’ve put Lazio star Sergej Milinkovic-Savic at the top of their list. It is understood that the West Ham captain could exit this summer, so the Hammers have identified a direct replacement as they are set to target the Serbian midfielder at the end of this season.
Milinkovic-Savic’s Campaign For Lazio So Far This Season
The Serbian international has had a solid campaign with the Italian side as he put in some master-class displays from the central areas of the field. He has banged in six goals and produced eight assists over thirty appearances this season across multiple competitions.
Milinkovic-Savic has been a critical player for Lazio as he has performed consistently based on his averages of 1.8 tackles, 1.0 interceptions, 1.3 clearances, 1.6 shots, 1.4 key passes and 0.9 dribbles per game in the Serie A. He has also been tidy with his ball distribution after completing 75.4% of his attempted passes in the Italian top flight (stats via whoscored).
Should Moyes Bring Him To West Ham United?
Milinkovic-Savic is a deep-lying midfielder as he plays in the holding positions and likes to distribute possession from the back. The Serbian ace has the vision to find his teammates who are on the front foot and can make accurate long passes to set them up with opportunities in front of the goal. Furthermore, he remains a solid tackler of the ball as he can time his tackles well and also make some clever interceptions to win the ball back for his side.
Standing at 1.91 meters, his tall and strong frame helps him dominate his opponents in the air. The midfield ace excels at getting out of tight situations and creating space for himself. He is primarily a defensive midfielder but remains versatile enough to operate as an attacking midfielder and also play as a left-sided wide player. Furthermore, he doesn’t mind taking a shot at the goal from a distance as he can shoot with power and accuracy from a long range.
A player of such calibre would definitely bring more quality to the Hammers‘ midfield department and remains a decent fit for David Moyes. However, acquiring his signature would not be easy as other Premier League clubs including the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal are keen on bringing him aboard.
