Nikola Milenkovic

Ekeke

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He's having his best season and almost delivering on his potential thats been talked about for a long time. He's the right kind of age and experience to take on a new challenge and being good in the air is probably going to benefit him more in the premier league. And hes probably been Fiorentina's best player this season which hasnt been the case before. They're only 12th but not because of him.

That said, in Fiorentina's last 2 games Quarta has probably been the best of the 3 CBs and Pezzella has been good like Milenkovic. So recently he's had good CB performers around him too, that has not been the case for most of this season with Pezzella not being very good and Quarta taking a while to adjust from Argentina. Should hopefully be a good defence for the rest of the season and if he comes to United this summer and we arent fleeced I'll be happy enough.
 

mazhar13

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He’s not been as hyped as those 2 either simply because of who he plays for
Fiorentina aren't that unknown a club, are they? I remember them being a decent team for a good few years and consistently being in Europe. They also had some really famous names in the 90s and Scudetto-winning teams before that.

Regardless, even when they did struggle, players like Bernardeschi and Chiesa were still very well-known (yeah, they're attacking players, but then again, you have Christoph Baumgartner from Hoffenheim who gets no attention). Anyways, they aren't one of the big clubs, so you're still right (sort of).
 

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Fiorentina aren't that unknown a club, are they? I remember them being a decent team for a good few years and consistently being in Europe. They also had some really famous names in the 90s and Scudetto-winning teams before that.

Regardless, even when they did struggle, players like Bernardeschi and Chiesa were still very well-known (yeah, they're attacking players, but then again, you have Christoph Baumgartner from Hoffenheim who gets no attention). Anyways, they aren't one of the big clubs, so you're still right (sort of).
Not unknown but not in the CL whereas the others have been getting that exposure
 

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We and other clubs had been after/looking at Bruno for years before pulling the trigger. It’s not unusual
And United (amongst others) were tracking Vidic for at least three years. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/2961426.stm

Seem to recall there were rumors of a couple English clubs considering him in Jan 2004 but he remained at Red Star before moving to Spartak the following summer.

As you said, it's not unusual for clubs to track developing players for many years before making a move.
 

golden_blunder

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And United (amongst others) were tracking Vidic for at least three years. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/2961426.stm

Seem to recall there were rumors of a couple English clubs considering him in Jan 2004 but he remained at Red Star before moving to Spartak the following summer.

As you said, it's not unusual for clubs to track developing players for many years before making a move.
Fair point. Sometimes you just want to see how they might handle a new challenge or environment or maybe it’s felt that they aren’t quite ready but you keep watching them
 

mazhar13

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Just hope he doesn't go to a PL rival and rip it up like fecking Dias
I don't think he has the ability to do that. He hasn't been Fiorentina's main defensive presence; that's been German Pezzella. If he goes to another big club, he'll play a part in offering something new or even improving them slightly, but he won't stand out like Dias has for City, Thiago Silva did for Chelsea, or van Dijk did for Liverpool.
 

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I don't think he has the ability to do that. He hasn't been Fiorentina's main defensive presence; that's been German Pezzella. If he goes to another big club, he'll play a part in offering something new or even improving them slightly, but he won't stand out like Dias has for City, Thiago Silva did for Chelsea, or van Dijk did for Liverpool.
To be fair, no one expected Dias to stand out like he has for Citeh. Difficult to call, these things.
 

mazhar13

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To be fair, no one expected Dias to stand out like he has for Citeh. Difficult to call, these things.
I agree, and maybe Milenkovic can become a more complete defender, but Dias always showed those signs. I'll admit, I didn't watch much of him at Benfica, but when I watched Portugal, he stuck out as being assertive. He'd often get out of his comfort zone to confront different defensive situations, and he'd be tough to beat in almost all of them. Aerially, he was dominant, and in the box, he was in position to stop near-post crosses as well as low crosses, and he'd do a good job of confronting players who'd beat their full backs or runners who'd enter the box. Dias was always defending on his toes (rarely standing still and square to the ball) and capable of reading dangers from elsewhere.

Milenkovic, however, hasn't shown much of that, so I don't know if he'll necessarily go beyond being a defender suited to a particular role (like Lovren or Christensen).
 

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Who was the last great defender as tall as 6 foot 5?

I know there are several just under that (ie, VVD, Pique) but I’m actually scratching my head to think of a really top level CB that tall in recent years.

At some point height is a disadvantage as it begins to take away from agility and short area quickness.
 

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I don't think he has the ability to do that. He hasn't been Fiorentina's main defensive presence; that's been German Pezzella. If he goes to another big club, he'll play a part in offering something new or even improving them slightly, but he won't stand out like Dias has for City, Thiago Silva did for Chelsea, or van Dijk did for Liverpool.
I think hes been better than Pazzella this season to be honest. Pazzella is in good form now but hasnt been throughout the season. I think Milenkovic has been one of their best players this season so far
 

Jibbs

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He has only missed one game in his Fiorentina career thus far and that was in 2017 due to a fever. I've liked him as a player since I watched him play for Serbia in the world cup age 20 and followed his progress at Fiorentina there after for a whole season but haven't watched him much in the last 18 months.

Milenkovic along with Konate were my choices for a new CB before we opted to pay up for Maguire, so it'll be interesting to see how things unfold in the coming months. I think the 'Serbian Tower' would be a crowd favourite at OT.
Agree with your assessment. I think if we possibly can, should also sign SMS along with him. SMS is also on rhe last year of this contract.
 

mazhar13

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I think hes been better than Pazzella this season to be honest. Pazzella is in good form now but hasnt been throughout the season. I think Milenkovic has been one of their best players this season so far
I wasn't necessarily referring to their individual performances, more so their presence on the pitch. Milenkovic largely sticks to his areas and performs his role (nothing more than that). If the ball or attacking play goes beyond that, he doesn't tend to get involved. Pezzella gets more involved and acts as a pivot for the back line (granted, he's their sweeper). That's partly due to the setup and partly due to the fact that Milenkovic played full back for a couple of seasons before transitioning to a more central defensive role.

Who knows, maybe he'd become a different player (for better or worse) in a back 4. However, from what I've seen now, he looks good but may not become a big defensive presence.
 

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I’ve just realised he’s the guy with the annoying face who I pack all the time on FIFA. His image hasn’t changed in like forever on the game.

Do not want for this reason...
 

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I’ve just realised he’s the guy with the annoying face who I pack all the time on FIFA. His image hasn’t changed in like forever on the game.

Do not want for this reason...
just think if he sign him then we can have him glare at our opposition with that annoying face. Seems like a bonus to me.
 

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108 appearances for Fiorentina and he's still only 23. That's not bad for a 23 year old central defender playing at the top. West Ham bid for him in the last window.

Upside
- Only one year left on his contract in the summer, so will be sold for half his true value. We won't get mugged like we often do for a change.
- At 6'5 he doesn't get bullied like Lindelof often does.
- Has pace


Downside
- He's right footed.
 

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Reports today saying that he's willing to push for a move to united. Don't know too much about his talent other than what I've seen and read online. Looks like physically he could be a good partner to Maguire. Assuming he's got the ability, the clear motivation to come here as well as the 30 million-ish price would both be pluses. https://metro.co.uk/2021/02/28/manc...-push-for-30m-move-on-one-condition-14159415/
 

croadyman

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Reports today saying that he's willing to push for a move to united. Don't know too much about his talent other than what I've seen and read online. Looks like physically he could be a good partner to Maguire. Assuming he's got the ability, the clear motivation to come here as well as the 30 million-ish price would both be pluses. https://metro.co.uk/2021/02/28/manc...-push-for-30m-move-on-one-condition-14159415/
I could live with signing him and Sancho in the summer but still leaves the midfield issue
 

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Seen a few stories on Twitter this week, seemingly originating from the Italian press, that this deal is there to be done for around the 35m euros mark and that his signing is a “concrete objective” for United.

Have not seen him play before but is a good age and price and would be refreshing to see us get some business done early for a change.
 

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Have a feeling this will turn out like the Koulibaly rumours - constantly linked with us, but will never come. Obviously he will not stay at his current club like Koulibaly, but think he'll end up at a "smaller" club like Napoli, Dortmund or even West Ham.
 

AgentSmith

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The price seems a little high given Fiorentina’s current position in the league and the fact he’s in the final year of his contract.

Seems a realistic and sensible transfer though which should hopefully allow for the remaining bulk of the budget to be focused on someone like Sancho. The funds generated by selling the remaining deadwood (Jones, Dalot, Pereira, Lingard etc.) could then secure another player.

Haaland would obviously be the dream but my inner muppet is too damaged for it to feel like anything more than that.
 

Devil81

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I’ve just realised he’s the guy with the annoying face who I pack all the time on FIFA. His image hasn’t changed in like forever on the game.

Do not want for this reason...
Who is actually using him on Fifa though, I play it most nights and have packed him multiple times and banged him straight on the market where he sells most times.

Yet I never play a team that has him in their starting eleven!
 

Still ill

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I thought the consensus was that we needed someone speedy and mobile beside Harry? We're hardly getting that from a 6'5 colossus.
 

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Who is actually using him on Fifa though, I play it most nights and have packed him multiple times and banged him straight on the market where he sells most times.

Yet I never play a team that has him in their starting eleven!
Yeah same here. Weird, must be using him in SBC’s or something.

The face he’s pulling in that pic though, proper Peewee Herman style. :lol:
 

DevTheRed

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I’d be open to bringing this guy in, the last Serbian CB we got worked out to be above average :devil:

I don’t think he is as slow as people think, quicker than Lindelof, obviously not as quick as Bailly though.
 

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We need a top centre back not a squad option. Is he better than Lindelof? Does he suit Maguire? From everything I’ve seen of him and read the answer to that is no. We’ll spend 30m on him and still need a top CB. I seriously doubt we’re looking at him - Whitwell said this was all coming from Italy and didn’t think we had any interest.
 

dinostar77

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I thought the consensus was that we needed someone speedy and mobile beside Harry? We're hardly getting that from a 6'5 colossus.
He's right footed. I thought Ole wanted a left footer so maguire could switch back to his preferred side as RCB rather than the LCB as hes been playing (hes right footed).
 

Tallis

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We need a top centre back not a squad option. Is he better than Lindelof? Does he suit Maguire? From everything I’ve seen of him and read the answer to that is no. We’ll spend 30m on him and still need a top CB. I seriously doubt we’re looking at him - Whitwell said this was all coming from Italy and didn’t think we had any interest.
Why do you think he isn’t a good partner to Maguire ? I think he would be a perfect compliment to Lindelof and a very good one to Maguire.
 

Tallis

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This guy is apparently quick - allegedly used to run 60m at national level in Serbia
He is very quick and has those long legs to dispossess attackers - similar to what Rio used to do. He is very good in one on ones.

I am not sure where all these stories of him not being fast etc originate from. Are people assuming he is slow because he is tall ?
 

Inigo Montoya

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He is very quick and has those long legs to dispossess attackers - similar to what Rio used to do. He is very good in one on ones.

I am not sure where all these stories of him not being fast etc originate from. Are people assuming he is slow because he is tall ?
That Usain Bolt lad at 6’ 5” is slow off the mark!
 

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Andy Mitten thinks this rumour is bullshit.