Man Utd ‘saw £36m bid rejected’ for defender they can now sign in cut price transfer

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Manchester United had a bid rejected for Fiorentina defender Nikola Milenkovic in 2019, according to the Italian club’s former general director.

Pantaleo Corvino, who worked for Fiorentina between 2016 and 2019, has revealed that the Red Devils plotted a move for Milenkovic two years ago.

United wanted to sign a centre-back in the summer of 2019 and the Serbian was on their wish list.

They offered £36million but the bid was turned down by the Serie A side.

Boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer eventually landed Harry Maguire in a huge £80m transfer, over double the amount they supposedly offered to Fiorentina for Milenkovic.

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The defender had just had an impressive personal season in the Italian top-flight.

Milenkovic appeared 34 times in Serie A during the 2018-19 campaign but Fiorentina finished just two places above the relegation zone.

They then finished 10th following the next season before coming 13th last term.

The 23-year-old has made 113 appearances for Fiorentina but could have spent the previous two years at United had the Premier League side had a bid accepted.

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“For Milenkovic, in January of my last season at Fiorentina, the Della Valle, and I say it here without fear of being proven wrong, refused 40 million euros plus bonuses from Manchester United,” Corvino told Italian outlet TuttoSport.

Corvino’s quotes emerge as Solskjaer searches for a centre-back partner for Maguire.

The England international has made 107 appearances for the Red Devils but none of his partners have convinced Solskjaer that they can perform the role long-term.

Neither Victor Lindelof nor Eric Bailly have sufficiently impressed alongside Maguire.

The 23-year-old Axel Tuanzebe does not seem trusted by Solskjaer either, despite particularly impressing during a Champions League group stage victory over Paris Saint-Germain earlier last season.

United have not been strongly linked with Milenkovic this summer, instead reportedly targeting Real Madrid’s Raphael Varane and Villarreal star Pau Torres.

But they could acquire the 23-year-old in a cut-price deal as his Fiorentina deal expires in 12 months.

Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho is also a target, with Solskjaer keen to improve his attacking options.

United finished as runners-up to rivals Manchester City last season but were 12-points adrift of the Premier League champions.

Solskjaer has called on the Old Trafford hierarchy to back him in the transfer window.

“Of course we’re planning as we normally do, that’s an ongoing process,” Solskjaer said in May.

“We’re looking at the squad and I hope we’re going to strengthen with two or three players we definitely need to challenge higher up in the table.

“We’re still too far behind to think it’s just going to come by itself.

“We’ve had a few players on loan that might come back in. There is interest in a few others going out. You want to come out of the transfer window strengthened. It’s difficult to say, I can’t see too many outgoings.”

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