Who is this 6ft 5in giant on Man City and Man United’s radar? The next Nemanja Vidic?

Who is Man City and Man United target Nikola Milenkovic?

According to the Sun, both Manchester United and Manchester City are interested in signing Serbian defender Nikola Milenkovic. The Fiorentina defender has made a name for himself over the last one year due to his impressive performances for both club and country.

Dubbed the new “Nemanja Vidic”, Milenkovic is a versatile and highly talented defender. He is mostly deployed as a central defender but the 20-year-old is also capable of playing as a right-back, as he has done for Fiorentina this season.

Milenkovic started his youth career at Serbian side Partizan Belgrade. During his time at Partizan, he played for the U19, U20, U21 and the senior Serbian national team.

For a relatively inexperienced player, the Serbian reads the game well and possesses good awareness at the back. Standing 6ft 5 inches tall, Milenkovic dominates the penalty area and is a massive presence in the air. His aerial prowess will definitely make him a huge hit in the Premier League.

He has so far averaged 2.4 successful duels in the Serie A, while also averaging 3 per game for Serbia at the World Cup. Though he is not yet the finished product, the youngster has shown immense potential and maturity in his display.

The defender is extremely calm and composed at the back, especially when put under pressure. He is also a neat passer of the ball, averaging a pass success rate of 89.8% for his country at the World Cup.

His passing ability also helps his team in the attack, with the defender capable of playing long balls over the opposition defenders. He is also impressive in playing the ball out from the back. It is his ability on the ball and the range of passing that allows him to flourish as a full-back as well.

His physicality, strength and height make it very hard for the attackers to lose his mark. He is also a massive threat from set-pieces due to his aerial prowess. The defender is capable of functioning in a number of systems and formations.

Read more: Why Man City splashing £200m on this £20m-a-year superstar could change football forever

One of his few weaknesses is his composure when it comes to defending. Milenkovic is often seen tugging players’ shirts and making clumsy tackles. If he decides to make the move to the Premier League, the Fiorentina defender will definitely be under the spotlight and will be penalised by the referees. Apart from that, he is certainly a player to watch for the future.