Reports: AC Milan pay record €40 million to loan superstar for one season
What's the story?
AC Milan is set to pay a record €40 million to take Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic on loan for the season according to reports from Il Sole 24 in Italy and other media outlets. The deal will include an option to buy at the end of the season, however, the amount I Rossoneri will have to pay at the end of the season if they wish to keep the player is not yet clear.
Lazio had valued the Serbian at around €140 million amid interest from Manchester United and others over the summer so it is likely Milan will have to fork out over six figures to make the deal permanent next year.
In case you didn't know...
Milinkovic-Savic is one of the most highly-rated midfielders in the world at the moment and shows the ambition of AC Milan for the season ahead. The 23-year-old was heavily linked with a move to Manchester United or Juventus over the past few weeks and his arrival at the San Siro is a blow to both clubs.
Since signing for Lazio in 2015, Milinkovic-Savic has made 94 appearances and scored 17 times, building his reputation as one of the best young midfielders in Europe. His loan deal to Milan is the highest fee ever paid for a player who isn't arriving on a permanent transfer.
The heart of the matter
Milan is desperately trying to keep up in what has become an incredibly competitive Serie A division. Juventus has already signed Cristiano Ronaldo while city rivals, Inter Milan are heavily linked with a move for Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric.
The capture of Milinkovic-Savic for such an extraordinarily high loan fee signifies the intent I Rossoneri has this season to compete at the summit of the league. Having already secured Chelsea's Tiemoune Bakayoko a couple of days ago, Milan is clearly building a very strong midfield for the season ahead.
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The deal is confirmed and we are simply awaiting Milinkovic-Savic to complete a medical before an official announcement is made from both clubs involved. We can expect the announcement to come within the next 24 hours.
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What's next?
This huge signing will likely signify the last transfer activity for Milan this summer. The former European giants will hope that Milinkovic-Savic can help to propel them to the next level and challenge Juventus for the title.