Having failed in an attempt to bring him to the Emirates Stadium this summer, Arsenal is said to be desperate and ‘willing to do anything to sign Lazio captain Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. The Gunners may also look to sign him on a swap deal this time around.

Having failed in an attempt to bring him to the Emirates Stadium this summer, Arsenal is said to be desperate and ‘willing to do anything to sign Lazio captain Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. The Gunners may also look to sign him on a swap deal this time around.

As mentioned before, the Gunners were also crazy about the idea of signing the player and pushed to great lengths to secure his services this summer. However, they failed to match Lazio’s valuation of the player, which they perceived as inflated. 

One of the standout midfielders in Europe over the last half a decade, the 27-year-old continues to be an important target for coach Mikel Arteta. It is now believed that the Premier League table toppers have now changed their stance on the player’s valuation and are willing to go all out.

Therefore, the idea of a swap deal involving a player plus a cash deal from Arsenal cannot be ruled out and it is the most likely possibility for going forward. The Gunners are expected to find stiff competition however as other clubs are exploring his option and it is no secret that Milinkovic-Savic is on the radar of many top European clubs, including some in the Premier League as well.

This could make Arsenal hesitant about waiting until next summer. As a result, they could pull the trigger and might pursue his signing in the upcoming winter transfer window which opens in January.

According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, Arsenal is preparing to offer £52m-plus midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga in exchange for Milinkovic-Savic in an all-or-nothing deal ahead of the January transfer window.

While the Gunners initially believed that a sum of around £45m-£50m would have been enough to land the Lazio captain, the Italian club has played hardball regarding any interest. As such, they now believe that a slightly higher amount and an exciting prospect in Sambi Lokonga could be enough for one last decisive swoop for the influential playmaker.

Arsenal’s Premier League rivals Manchester United and Liverpool were also monitoring Milinkovic-Savic while Barcelona briefly explored the idea of signing him as Frenkie De Jong’s replacement. Juventus were also keen at one point.

The 27-year-old, who has 62 goals and 58 assists in 309 appearances across all competitions for Lazio since 2015, including four goals and seven assists in the current campaign, will also be watched by a number of clubs when he turns out for Serbia at the World Cup next month.