Fulham are set to hand Torino midfielder Sasa Lukic a four-and-a-half year contract worth around £40,000-a-week a week as the Serbia international prepares to swap Serie A for the Premier League, according to Tuttomercatoweb.
During the summer of 2022, Torino sold arguably the finest central defender in the whole of Italy – Brazil international Gleison Bremer – and came back stronger than ever.
Granata coach Ivan Juric, then, has reason to feel optimistic even as another key player prepares to bid farewell. Lukic, TMW say, should be a Fulham player by the time the deadline passes on Tuesday.
The Cottagers are offering £11.5 million; £9 million of which will be paid up front. Lukic will also sign a contract until 2027, worth almost £40,000-a-week.
Fulham are closing in on Torino and Serie A ace Sasa Lukic
“Lukic is a very strong player. I consider him really strong because he combines the two phases (defensive and attacking). Tough, intelligent,” says Juric, linked with the Southampton job before Nathan Jones took over from Ralph Hasenhuttl at St Mary’s instead.
“I’m sorry that things don’t go the way I would like. There are these difficulties with (contract) renewals. Let’s see how things evolve, based on what the boy wants. We don’t just need to replace (him), but add to those who I think are good.
“I would always like him here, but there are different dynamics. A younger boy could arrive (to replace him). Sometimes it’s even right (to sell), as happened with Bremer,” Juric adds.
“We’ll manage, I think.”
Lukic, who featured for Serbia at the Qatar World Cup, is out of contract until 2024. His reluctance to sign a new deal means Torino are running out of time to make a pretty penny on a player who has spent the last seven years in Italy.
Fulham, who avoided an FA Cup upset at home to Sunderland on Saturday, have also made an offer for Fluminense starlet Andre Trindade. A new right-back is high on Marco Silva’s wishlist too, with Cedric Soares not yet arriving from Arsenal.
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