Juventus eye January move as Milinkovic-Savic weighs Europe return | OneFootball

The former Lazio midfielder is open to returning to European football. Contract with Al Hilal expires in 2026, but a winter move remains possible. Juventus is watching, ready to seize the opportunity.

Juventus, Milinkovic-Savic in January is not a dream: the Serbian considers returning to Europe

Tudor requests reinforcements: the midfield remains the weak point

The first part of Juventus' season under Igor Tudor has shown signs of growth and solidity, but also evident structural limitations, especially in the midfield. Behind the starters Thuram and Locatelli, the alternatives have not yet provided the necessary guarantees for a top-level season.

The Croatian coach has managed to highlight the young Adzic, match winner against Inter, but the typical inconsistency of his age limits his full reliability. McKennie, whose contract expires at the end of the season, has not fully convinced; Koopmeiners has not yet managed to establish himself in the new system, while Miretti remains an unknown after a long injury.

In this context, the Juventus management has set the main goal for the January market: to strengthen the midfield with an experienced, technical player accustomed to handling top-level pressure.

Milinkovic-Savic, the winter suggestion: “He wants to return to Europe”

The name at the top of the list leads to Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. The 30-year-old Serbian, former Lazio pillar, still has two years left on his contract with Al Hilal, expiring in June 2026, but according to Tuttosport, his desire is to return to Europe as early as 2025.

After a year in Saudi Arabia, Milinkovic-Savic is considering a new challenge. The arrival of Simone Inzaghi on the bench of the Saudi club has not yet led to concrete talks for renewal, and the midfielder – author of 57 goals in Serie A with Lazio – would prefer to return to the league that established him.

“Juventus is interested, but so far there have been no official steps,” writes Tuttosport. “Only requests for information and updates on the player's future.”

A return to Serie A is therefore not impossible, but everything will depend on the Serbian's willingness to accept a significant reduction in his salary, currently around 20 million euros net per season.

The conditions of the deal: a player effort is needed

Juventus is watching the situation evolve with interest. A transfer as early as January would not be simple from an economic standpoint, but neither would it be unfeasible.

For the operation to succeed, a significant discount would be needed from the player both in terms of salary and any compensation for early termination with Al Hilal. On his part, Milinkovic-Savic might be attracted by the possibility of becoming a protagonist in the Champions League and relaunching his career in a competitive environment.

Moreover, Juventus could exploit the loan formula with an option to buy, mitigating the immediate economic impact and deferring the bulk of the investment to the following summer.

Tudor and the club aligned: a leader is needed in the midfield

The Croatian coach has requested a profile with physicality, vision of the game, and charisma, characteristics that Milinkovic-Savic perfectly embodies. The club, for its part, evaluates the costs of the operation but recognizes the importance of introducing a player capable of elevating the team's technical and mental level.

In Tudor's project, the Serbian could act as a mezzala in a three-man midfield or as a central pivot in a more physical formation. A potential agreement with Juventus would bring Milinkovic-Savic back to Serie A, where he left a deep mark, with years of high-level performances and a still-alive connection with many former teammates and Italian fans.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.