West Ham United target Nikola Milenkovic has no interest in signing a new contract at Fiorentina and is expected to leave the Serie A outfit in 2021, according to Calciomercato.
If Craig Dawson felt like the definition of a short-term quick fix after the 30-year-old joined the Hammers from Watford on a season-long loan, he could also prove a useful bridge from one summer to the next.
Fiorentina were reluctant to sell Milenkovic this year, rejecting a £20 million offer from West Ham (Daily Mail).
But by the time the sun is sitting high in the London sky in June, and once Dawson’s temporary spell as a West Ham player has come to an end, the story could be very different.
As Fiorentina sporting director Daniele Prade said last week, a rock-solid Serbian labelled the ‘new Nemanja Vidic’ will be sold in 2021 if he doesn’t extend a contract due to expire in less than two years.
And with reports now suggesting Milenkovic has no plans to put pen to paper, all signs point to an impending – and inevitable – departure.
Calciomercato adds the legendary figure of Paolo Maldini, now technical director of AC Milan, is a big fan of the 22-year-old and believes Milenkovic is capable of following in his own gilded footsteps at the San Siro.
So West Ham fans shouldn’t get too excited just yet.
Milenkovic’s days at Fiorentina may be numbered but would he really reject the chance to join an exciting, improving Milan side at Maldini’s request?
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