Sergej Milinkovic-Savic Worth in Excess of €90M, Says Lazio Sporting Director

Lazio sporting director Igli Tare has said it will take "much more" than €90 million (£79 million) to prise Sergej Milinkovic-Savic away from the club this summer.

The midfielder has enjoyed an extraordinary campaign and has been linked with some of European football's biggest sides as a result. However, when asked about the Serbia international by Sportitalia (h/t Ben Gladwell of ESPN FC), Tare said any club keen to sign him would have to spend big.

"Yes—even much more," he replied when asked if Milinkovic-Savic was worth the sum mentioned. "There have already been offers in this region last summer and we didn't consider them. There are major European clubs interested in Milinkovic-Savic, but we don't have anything definite on the table."

As noted by Gladwell, the likes of Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid have all been cited as possible suitors for the 23-year-old star.

Lazio would be well within their rights to dig their heels in in the face of any offer below their valuation, as Milinkovic-Savic is developing into one of the best midfielders in world football.

David Amoyal was full of praise for the player:

Milinkovic-Savic is certainly a man for all seasons, and under Simone Inzaghi at Lazio, he has shown he can fulfil a number of different roles in the side.

Still, he's at his best when off the leash and allowed to be a box-to-box force. Milinkovic-Savic can win the ball back in midfield, drive forward with power and rifle a shot from distance into the top corner. It makes him a major game-changer at the highest level.

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While United have Paul Pogba, who shares some stylistic similarities to the Lazio man, neither Real Madrid nor PSG possess a player adept at providing such thrust from the hub of the team.

As these figures from OptaPaolo illustrate, Milinkovic-Savic is already making his mark on matches in Serie A:

Lazio have enjoyed an excellent season and are on course to secure a UEFA Champions League spot for next year. However, with rumours linking Milinkovic-Savic with a move away and Stefan De Vrij expected to join Inter Milan, per Tare, there's a danger this fine team will be picked apart.

It will be tough for the club to resist potential nine-figure offers for the midfielder, though, and the man himself would surely be tempted by the trio of clubs said to be interested. Milinkovic-Savic has given the impression he is ready to make the next step in what should be a tremendous career.