Newcastle have spoken to the agent of Sergej Milinkovic-Savic over a summer move

Add as preferred source on Google

With Champions League football looking increasingly likely, Newcastle are now looking to bring in Sergej Milinkovic-Savic from Lazio.

Reports from Italy suggest that Newcastle have already made contact with Mateja Kezman, the agent of Milinkovic-Savic to sound out the possibility of a move to Tyneside this summer.

Gazzetta Dello Sport (via Football Italia) claim that Lazio are set to offer the Serbian powerhouse a new deal which will include a £53million release clause, but they also claim that Newcastle are trying to lure him away before he can sign a new contract.

Newcastle and Arsenal are both keen on Milinkovic-Savic

Arsenal are also admirers of the ‘astonishingly gifted‘ midfielder but it’s the Magpies who have made the first move. It was reported last month that Kezman was trying to engineer a move for around £40million which would be an absolute steal.

In all honesty, even if he signs that new deal at Lazio, activating his release clause would still be a good deal for Newcastle such is Milinkovic-Savic’s reputation. He’s been described as ‘the best midfielder in Italy‘ by Paul Merson.

Standing at 6’4″ and playing in the middle of the park, Milinkovic-Savic would be add even more height to an already colossal Newcastle lineup.

He’s made 38 appearances in all competitions for Lazio this season scoring eight goals and providing eight assists.

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic would be a phenomenal signing

While Newcastle have been looking for more defensively minded midfield options to allow Bruno Guimaraes to roam forward more, a player of Milinkovic-Savic’s quality could still offer Bruno that freedom and he’d have fantastic support alongside.

Kezman has said that SMS would prefer to move to a club playing in the Champions League if he’s to leave Lazio, and with Newcastle sitting in third place in the Premier League, it’s becoming more and more likely that we will be playing in Europe’s top competition next term which leaves the door open for a move.

Arsenal’s grip on the Premier League title slipped yesterday following a 2-2 draw with Liverpool and people are now backing Manchester City to retain the title. Being Champions could have been Arsenal’s trump card in negotiations, but without that, Newcastle could possibly tempt the 28-year-old to move to Tyneside.

Fingers crossed there’s truth to this one as he’d be a phenomenal signing for Eddie Howe.