Arsenal ‘would do anything’ for Milinkovic-Savic as Edu hatches plan

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Arsenal director Edu is preparing to step up his pursuit of Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic in the upcoming January transfer window, according to reports. The Gunners have been tentatively linked with a move for Milinkovic-Savic for a number of years and are said to be looking to act on their interest when the market reopens at the turn of the year.

The Serbian playmaker was reportedly made available by Lazio over the summer but ultimately ended up staying at the club and has since chipped in with seven assists in 11 league appearances since the beginning of the season. He is still being mentioned in connection with a move elsewhere in January, though, with Arsenal said to be among the clubs keeping a close eye on the situation.

It seems as though any successful move would likely cost the Gunners a significant amount of money, with Lazio chief Claudio Lotito having recently insisted that Milinkovic-Savic will only be allowed to leave in exchange for a nine-figure fee. However, those in power at the Emirates Stadium have devised a cunning plan to bring the player to north London without paying over-the-odds in exchange for his signature.

That’s according to Calciomercato, who are reporting that Edu is looking to negotiate a player-plus-cash deal that would see Albert Sambi Lokonga move in the other direction. The latter joined Arsenal from Anderlecht last summer but has struggled to hold down a regular place in Mikel Arteta’s first-team squad, with the Spaniard having started him on just two occasions since the start of the campaign.

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It is claimed that Arsenal would be willing to ‘do anything’ in order to sign Milinkovic-Savic in January, even if that means offering Lokonga in addition to a transfer fee in the region of £43million. However, it remains to be seen whether this would be enough to tempt Lazio into selling up, with the Italian outfit unlikely to be keen on parting ways with Milinkovic-Savic in the middle of the season.

The 27-year-old’s imposing presence and wealth of top-level experience would make him a shrewd addition for Arsenal, who will be hoping to stay strong at the business end of the season to earn a long-awaited return to next year’s Champions League. The Gunners were recently urged to firm up their interest in the player by club legend Paul Merson, who relayed his belief that Milinkovic-Savic is the best midfielder currently plying his trade in Serie A.

“Now more than ever, Arsenal need a top-class midfielder to compete with the best,” wrote Merson in his Daily Star column. “And I think Savic is a lovely player, a really top-drawer player.

“The way he played for Lazio last season I personally think he is the best midfield player in Italy. I know Manchester United have been linked with him in the past, but why there isn’t a queue of clubs lining up to buy the Serbian, I do not know. I think a lot of clubs are missing a trick.”

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