Scout Report – Sergej-Milinkovic Savic
Manchester United are understood to be interested in a January move for Lazio midfielder Sergej-Milinkovic Savic. Jose Mourinho has had him on his radar for quite some time now and even sent scouts to monitor his progress. Considering the performances put up by Savic, it comes as no surprise that the reports have been positive.
Lazio won against Sampdoria last weekend and that was a match which had a United scout present. It was the right time as the €80m rated Savic scored a goal and also linked beautifully with his teammates to seal a victory for his side. Let’s take a closer look at the player’s profile.
History
Born in 1995 in Lleida, Spain, Savic was a part of the youth academy of Vojvodina. He was touted as one of their best midfielders and it was not long before he signed a five-year contract with Belgian club Genk. He spent much of the 2014-15 season at the club and then chose to complete the switch to Lazio in July 2015. He has been at the Italian club ever since. His influence at the club is truly remarkable which is further illustrated by the fact that he made a whopping 35 appearances in his debut season itself.
There has been no looking back for Savic at Lazio. As far as his international career goes, Savic has appeared on all levels for Serbia, right from U19 to U21, and is currently a part of the senior team.
Playing Style
Savic is extremely strong when it comes to aerial challenges. There are very few players who can beat him in the air, making him a viable prospect. He is an out-and-out dribbler and has a very old-school approach to holding on to the ball, which makes for delightful viewing. Although he makes significant contributions to the attack, Savic never shies away from his defensive duties – a fact that Mourinho will appreciate.
That said, the player loves tackling, which could lead to unnecessary yellow cards and red cards. However, his pros outweigh the cons, and this makes him a very interesting target.
Savic’s Future
Considering the fact that he can play as a central midfielder and as an attacking midfielder, Savic is likely to be a good buy for Manchester United. They have been heavily reliant on Paul Pogba to get things done and had to suffer a lot when he was out due to injury. A situation like that can seriously dent their hopes of title-contention and to have a player like Savic could most certainly help them in that case.