Tottenham Hotspur can usurp fresh transfer interest from Juventus for Nikola Milenkovic in the summer market due to a cheap release clause in the Fiorentina defender’s contract.
That’s according to Calciomercato, who report the Bianconeri have opened talks with the centre-half’s agent, Fali Ramadani, in recent days. The Turin giants have long admired the 24-year-old, and have sought to confirm their interest with Massimiliano Allegri’s blessing.
Allegri wants Juventus to improve his defensive options over the off-season, with Chelsea star Antonio Rudiger his top target. But Allianz Stadium chiefs are eager to stay on top of Milenkovic’s situation in case their pursuit of the soon-to-be free agent German collapses.
Juventus see Milenkovic as a promising market opportunity as the Serbian enters the final year of his contract in June. A €15m (£12.5m) release clause in his terms is also active from the end of the current campaign. A pleasingly low figure for a reliable and young defender.
Tottenham can usurp Juventus for Fiorentina’s Milenkovic with £12.5m exit clause
Tottenham, though, could use Milenkovic’s release clause to beat Juventus to securing his transfer from Fiorentina in the summer. The Mirror (20/03, p74) report Spurs, Newcastle, West Ham and Manchester United are all keen on the 33-cap ace as they target defenders.
Milenkovic has a strong clutch of suitors after helping I Viola to keep six clean sheets over his 26 Serie A appearances so far this season. Fiorentina also reached the semi-final of the Coppa Italia after wins over Napoli and Atalanta. But lost the first-leg to Juventus in March.
Milenkovic, who his former teammate Pol Lirola calls ‘extraordinary’, gets another chance to audition for Juventus in the reverse fixture on April 20. And shutting out Dusan Vlahovic would go a long way to show why Fiorentina valued him at £37.5m in the January window.
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