Lazio president Claudio Lotito is reportedly planning to offer Sergej Milinkovic-Savic a new contract after the summer transfer window closes.
The 27-year-old Serbian midfielder seemed destined for a high-profile move entering the summer, with both Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United keen on picking him up, but ultimately a transfer never materialised as neither club managed to convince Lazio with their offers.
As reported by Corriere dello Sport (via LazioNews24), Lazio don’t want to risk losing Milinkovic-Savic on a free transfer when his contract expires in 2024, so Lotito is considering offering the midfielder a one-year contract extension with a salary bump, which also includes a release clause.
The idea would be to secure Milinkovic-Savic’s immediate future in Rome but also give him the opportunity to depart next summer, as Lotito doesn’t want to break any promises made with the Serbian midfielder.
All of this could be irrelevant, however, as Manchester United could seriously return to the fray; the Red Devils are still looking for a new midfielder following their failure to sign Frenkie de Jong and a fee of €50-60m could be enough to secure the 27-year-old Serbian.
Maurizio Sarri trusts Lotito and is prepared to work with or without Milinkovic-Savic, although the team’s ability to fight for a top four spot does likely depend on the star midfielder’s presence.
