Manchester United transfer target Sergej Milinkovic-Savic has no intention of leaving Lazio in January
The shock defeat to Bristol City is understood to have prompted a change of thinking from the Portuguese with Mourinho now keen to add depth to his squad for the second half of the season
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sergej Milinkovic-Savic says he has no intention of swapping Lazio for Manchester United this month.
Jose Mourinho is set to spend this month with his side some 15 points behind league leaders Manchester City in the title race and out of the EFL Cup.
The shock defeat to Bristol City is understood to have prompted a change of thinking from the Portuguese with Mourinho now keen to add depth to his squad for the second half of the season with the Champions League, where the Red Devils face Sevilla in the last 16, now top priority.
But Serbian midfielder Milinkovic-Savic, one of a number of targets on Mourinho's wishlist, won't be on his way to Old Trafford with the 22-year-old happy in the Italian capital.
“I am focused only on Lazio. This season, Serie A has improved significantly, as you can see by the fact all the clubs are still in the Champions League or Europa League," he told Serbian newspaper Novosti.
“As a club, we have a clear goal of a top four position, because that gives qualification to the Champions League from next season. That is a really big challenge.
“I am not thinking about leaving Lazio, because I am currently very happy in Rome.
“It means a lot to have Vanja close to me. We support and strive to motivate each other. We play in one of the strongest leagues in Europe and we’re proud for each other.”
Mourinho had previously felt the title could be possible this year, but there is now naturally a realisation that will require something close to miracle with Pep Guardiola’s side 15 points ahead, so priorities have shifted to the Champions League.
The one issue in the short term is that many of the targets are cup-tied or not quite feasible in January. All of Juventus’ Sandro, Borussia Dortmund’s Julian Weigl and Tottenham’s Danny Rose have been registered in the Champions League this season, while there is highly unlikely to be a move for Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil until the summer, when his contract runs out.
At the same time, such signings could still allow Mourinho’s current first-choice starting XI to be fresher for the Champions League, as they also attempt to keep pace with City and ensure they finish in the top four.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments