Lazio President Admits 'Barcelona & Real Madrid' Could Force Sale of Key Man
Lazio president Claudio Lotito has refused to rule out the sale of star midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, admitting that the Italian club cannot match the financial power of some of the clubs interested in his signature.
Most of Europe's major powers have been linked with a move for 'SMS' over the last 18 months, whether due to a genuine interest or 'paper talk', and Lotito admitted to CalcioMercato that he can do little to stop the Serb leaving if a European giant comes with an aggressive offer.
"In today's football," he said. "It's difficult for a player to tie himself to just one club for the rest of his career, but at Lazio we are doing well. Our players show great affection to the club.
"Milinkovic-Savic? Unfortunately, Lazio don't have the same economic potential as Barcelona and Real Madrid. When the conditions are on our side and an offer you can't refuse arrives, then we will face the matter."
In addition to the two Spanish sides Lotito mentioned, Milinkovic-Savic has been strongly linked with Manchester United for much of the last two seasons, fitting the Jose Mourinho midfielder profile perfectly thanks to his large size, impressive physicality and work rate.
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However, any club looking to steal the 23-year-old away from Rome will have to pay through the nose despite Lotito's protestations, with Milinkovic-Savic signing a new long-term contract at the Stadio Olimpico less than two months ago to tie his future to the two-time Serie A champions until the end of the 2022/23 season.
