Sergej Milinkovic Savic Salvages a Disappointing 2018-2019 Season
The Serbian’s time with Lazio has shown signs of progression and regression, however, Savic has been an asset and has helped achieved trophies for the club.
The Serbian netted only seven goals in the 2018-2019 Serie A season. These results didn’t meet the standards of the Lazio midfielder compared to previous seasons.
Returning from injury before the Coppa Italia final versus Atalanta back in May, the midfielder delivered in the 80th minute. Savic scored from a corner kick from Lucas Leiva which was the decisive goal for the Coppa Italia. Many were hoping for more from Savic compared to previous seasons and he salvaged it with a crucial goal.
The Midfielder’s Style of Play
Milinkovic-Savic’s best season was in 2017-2018 when he scored 14 goals for Lazio. In addition, the Serbian showed the ability to make clean passes, dribble well and read the game very well. When he battled for the ball in the air, he had the ability to fight off his defender and win the one on one battle. He also showed these strengths earlier this year in the Coppa Italia final. The Serbian overall has a lot to offer, considering he plays a box to box type of game.
While his game could be beneficial to many clubs, it also has weaknesses. Earlier this year he was sent off for dissent versus Chievo Verona. The Serbian, at times, has shown that his discipline could be better and needs to be more controlling of himself during the game. The midfielder has the tendency to foul a lot, so his tackling could use improvement. While the Serbian has had ups and downs, he’s yet to show his full potential.
Will Lazio sell their star midfielder?
In the summer of 2018, Lazio had to decide whether they will sell their star midfielder or keep him. This question has surrounded the club for the past two seasons and continues to linger on. In the current transfer window, the young Serbian’s name has returned and been one of the talking points so far. Savic has been linked to Juventus, Paris Saint Germain, and Manchester United.
According to Jamie Spencer from 90 Mins, “Manchester United appear to be edging closer and closer to the 80 million euros (71m) signing of Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic…” However, Lazio never made a deal with Manchester United as the transfer window for English Premier League has now closed. Lazio will need to consider any future offers. Is it smart to sell a player after having a down season as Savic just had? The Serbian is signed until 2022, so the club has no rush to sell the midfielder. Depending if Savic decides to stay or leave, another season should seriously be considered as it could be beneficial to both the club and the player.
What happens if Savic were to stay or leave?
If the Serbian has a good season in 2019-2020, his market value may rise. In the event that this does happen, the team would earn more as opposed to what they’ve been offered this transfer window. Holding on to one of the best midfielders in the game could allow Lazio to be competitive and give the team a chance to compete for a spot in the Champions League. It’s important to have patience as, if Lazio takes this route, it could pay off for the club in the future.
If Lazio were to sell Savic, a plan should be in place for his replacement. This would not be an easy task for Tare as the Serbian brings a lot of value to the team. While it’s great to earn a profit on star players, the replacement should be beneficial to the club. With the Serbian’s wages expected to rise, Claudio Lotito must decide either to increase his pay and, if not, he would need to consider the fact that he could lose his midfielder in the near future.
As most Lazio fans know, until Claudio Lotito receives the right figure, Savic will not being going anywhere. Il Messaggero had quoted, “PSG are ready to offer 65 million euros plus Kurzawa” but it wasn’t enough to satisfy Lotito. The price might be steep but having a player such as Savic, Lazio should take full advantage of the market. Lotito has decided to be patient and not buying into any teams who are not meeting his requests.
Hopefully it doesn’t come to this as it truly would be sad to see the Serbian leave. As reported by Mark Jones from The Mirror, Savic stated, “I am where I am and I want for nothing at Lazio. I don’t think much about the transfer market. All sorts of things were written about me but I know where my mind is and who I have a contract with.” If the Serbian decides to stay with Lazio long-term, Lotito should feel confident in signing his star player to contract renewal given Savic’s feelings toward the club. Until it does happen, he’s still a Laziali and that’s something which should be appreciated.