Fiorentina Confirm They Turned Down Nikola Milenkovic Bid from Manchester United

Fiorentina have announced they turned down an offer from Manchester United for prized defender Nikola Milenkovic last summer.

Former Red Devils manager Jose Mourinho was desperate to add a top-class centre-back before the club sacked him in late December, and Milenkovic has witnessed his stock rise since he joined the Serie A club in 2017.

Per Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t the Manchester Evening News' Richard Fay), Fiorentina chief executive Pantaleo Corvino spoke about some recent offers. Corvino said, "We rejected great offers from Lyon for [Jordan] Veretout, from Marseille for [Giovani] Simeone and from Manchester United for Nikola Milenkovic."

Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images

Milenkovic is adept at centre-back but can also feature as a right-back—a position he has played numerous times in the Italian league.

Mourinho's defence was weak at the end of last season, and the Portuguese failed to find a player who could strengthen his back line. According to Alistair Tweedale of The Telegraph, Mourinho travelled to watch the defender play for Serbia in October after the former manager failed to sign Tottenham Hotspur's Toby Alderweireld and Leicester City's Harry Maguire.

United's lack of activity in the transfer market has haunted them this term. The arrival of interim boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has steadied the ship after a poor opening to the campaign.

Catherine Ivill/Getty Images

Per Zinny Boswell of Sky Sports, Solskjaer has commented he does not expect January recruits to arrive at United during his interim spell.

"I don't expect anyone to come in," said Solskjaer. "Obviously if the club have targeted and identified a few and I think they might fit here then I'll give my thumbs up. But it's not just my decision. I'm happy with the squad I've got."

United will eventually have to strengthen their central defence. Phil Jones and Chris Smalling have seen their best days in Manchester, and the jury is out on Eric Bailly.

However, Victor Lindelof has been in excellent form since Mourinho's surprise departure, and the Swede could claim one of the centre-back roles for the foreseeable future.

Milenkovic would be a suitable partner for Lindelof next term if United try to sign him again, and the pair could form the foundation the Red Devils build their next title-challenging team upon.