Manchester United are thought to have edged ahead of Liverpool in the race to sign highly-rated Fiorentina defender Nikola Milenkovic.
The Red Devils' pursuit of a central defender has been public knowledge for some time now, with current first-choice centre-back partnership Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof struggling to build on their promising maiden campaign together.
Liverpool's defensive woes, meanwhile, have seen them surrender their Premier League crown with little more than a whimper.
With both Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez suffering season-ending injuries, the Reds have been forced to field a whole host of different partnerships at the heart of their defence - with January recruit Ozan Kabak failing to have the desired impact and the less said about Ben Davies' arrival from Preston the better.
With both Premier League behemoths potentially in the market for a new signing this summer, Fiorentina defender Milenkovic has been pinpointed as a prime target and Gazzetta dello Sport report (via TEAMtalk) that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side are in pole position to land him.
United have been keeping tabs on the 23-year-old for some time - with their original interest credited way back in 2019 - and they are said to have built a 'strong rapport' with his representatives, having held discussions over a possible move last summer.
Milenkovic has become a mainstay in the Viola defence since his move from Partizan back in 2017. The Serbia international has started all but two of his side's 27 Serie A outings this campaign as they look to steer themselves away from a relegation dog fight,
A centre-back by trade, Milenkovic can also be deployed at right-back. With his current contract expiring in little over a year, Fiorentina are mooted to be willing to accept an offer of €35m (£30m). Not only is he thought to be looking to move away, Fiorentina are said to be keen to cash in on their prized asset given a contract renewal looks unlik
Source : 90min