Arsenal Transfers: Gunners reportedly bid for Lazio star Sergej Milinkovic-Savic

According to reports, Mikel Arteta and Arsenal have submitted a bid for Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.

When Arsenal signed Fabio Vieira from FC Porto, next to no one outside the club even knew any type of negotiation was going on. Such was the surprise that by the time the general public found out who Vieira was, the deal was already completed.

Well, if recent reports are to be believed, the Gunners are moving to get another midfielder into the club, and it’s not Youri Tielemans. Its 27-year-old Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.

According to Il Messaggero, Arsenal have made their move for the Serbian midfielder, tabling an offer in the region of €50m. Although, that proposal was rejected by Lazio. The report also mentioned something that will make one or two eyebrows raise.

The agent for Milinkovic-Savic, Mateja Kezman, stated that the Lazio star would not be at the club past this current window, which essentially means his client wants out.

The 27-year-old is coming off a great season in Italy, as he scored 11 goals and assisted 12 times in all competitions for the Biancocolesti.

What would Milinkovic-Savic bring to Arsenal?

Like every target of Mikel Arteta and Edu’s, Milinkovic-Savic is a versatile midfielder who typically operates from the right half-space and loves entering the opposition’s box. SMS would slot straight into the Arsenal midfield’s three.

Essentially an all-around midfielder, one aspect that the 27-year-old would bring is his physicality. The Premier League, as we know,physicalague, something that the Serb would cope with rather well. He has a superb positional sense which bodes well if Thomas Partey goes on a marauding run; he can use his height to great advantage, can score a variety of goals, and has all the vision and intelligence one could want from a midfielder. He’s also a fine technician.

The downside of the Serbian is his lack of pace, which could prove detrimental to the team, but such is his football IQ; he positions himself on the pitch where he can’t be exploited. Equally adept at helping the team defensively and offensively, Savic could prove to be an astute piece of business for the Gunners.

This one certainly came out of nowhere, but he would be a welcomed addition to the Arsenal midfield and one that would raise the ceiling and the floor for the Gunners midfield and would send a serious message to the rest of the Premier League that Arsenal are to be taken seriously again.