MAN UNITED are in pole position to sign £67million-rated Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, according to reports.
However, the Lazio midfielder would rather join Real Madrid than move to the struggling Premier League outfit.
According to Il Messaggero, the Serie A side know they need to sell this summer in order to bring new players in.
And their star midfielder could be used to raise funds as fans were warned to enjoy him while he is still at the Stadio Olimpico.
Milinkovic-Savic, 26, has been a long-term target for plenty of clubs around Europe with United particularly keen for many years.
He joined Lazio from Genk in 2015 and has racked up 54 goals in 270 appearances for the club.
This season, he has been in especially strong form with seven goals and eight assists in 21 Serie A matches.
That has led manager Maurizio Sarri to describe the Serbian ace as one of the ‘best players he has worked with’.
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The Italian coach said: “I have coached many great players, but he is one of the best I’ve ever worked with.
“His progress over the last two months has been excellent and he really can take another step up in quality.
“He used to lose the ball too cheaply, but now he plays with more determination.”
Lazio chairman Claudio Lotito hopes he can retain his strong performances for the rest of the season so he can demand at least £67m in the summer.
But reports in Italy suggest Milinkovic-Savic’s relationship with Sarri has hit the buffers– putting the Red Devils on red alert.
United are on the hunt for a new central midfielder to bolster their squad with Amadou Haidara, Denis Zakaria and Ruben Neves also linked.
But Lazio’s Italian rivals Juventus and Inter Milan are said to be monitoring the Serb’s situation closely and could make a swoop, too.
However, the 28-cap ace and 2015 Under-20 World Cup winner has his heart set on a dream transfer to Real Madrid – if they make an approach.
Read our Manchester United live blog for the latest news and transfer gossip from Old Trafford