Sergej Milinkovic-Savic offered huge Saudi Pro League contract

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Sergej Milinkovic-Savic offered huge Saudi Pro League contract

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic has been offered a lucrative long-term contract to join the list of high-profile players in the Saudi Pro League, sources have confirmed to 90min.

The 28-year-old has been often linked with a move away from Lazio, having spent eight years in the Italian capital establishing himself as one of the finest central midfielders in Serie A.

Juventus have been long-term admirers of Milinkovic-Savic, without ever formalising their interest, while Inter also considered him as a potential transfer target before opting for the more reasonably priced Davide Frattesi.

Milinkovic-Savic has also been linked with a move to the Premier League on a number of occasions, though 90min understands that links to Arsenal and Newcastle this summer are wide of the mark.

Instead, sources have confirmed that Milinkovic-Savic has received an offer from one of the four PIF-backed Saudi Pro League clubs, Al Hilal, which could be worth around £20m-a-year - close to 10x times the salary he's currently receiving from Lazio.

Talks have been held with the player's representatives over moving to the Middle East, though they are also contacting clubs from around Europe to see if Milinkovic-Savic has any alternative options to consider.

Lazio for their part have been offered €40m to allow Milinkovic-Savic to leave, which sources have told 90min they have verbally agreed to do pending the Serbian's decision.

"I don't think it's a problem of stimuli, if one wants to go to Saudi Arabia the stimulus is only the money," Lazio's president, Claudio Lotito, said of Milinkovic-Savic potentially leaving. "But you have to ask him. I searched until the end to keep him, but if he asks me to leave for his own personal matter, what can I do?

"We were willing to renew the contract by increasing his salary. I have a good relationship with him, but in the end the player decides what he wants to do in life. Savic phoned me begging me to let him go."

Referencing Al Hilal's bid in particular, he added: "This offer has not actually arrived and, as long as he is a Lazio player, he will retire. I made a commitment with the boy that if a normal offer were to arrive minimum for Lazio he could go away. The offer is 50 million lower, a little less."

Milinkovic-Savic has been one of the best players in Serie A since joining Lazio from Genk in 2015, scoring 69 goals in 341 appearances en route to winning the Coppa Italia and the Serie A Best Midfielder award in 2019.