Manchester United are ready to pay €80m (£72.5m) for Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, according to the Corriere della Sera. The Italian newspaper believes the agreement has been in place for weeks but the Red Devils have not signed off on the deal.

The Serbian has been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford in the Italian press for the last month or so, but there has been one major stumbling block in the transfer going ahead.

Milinkovic-Savic is a direct replacement for Paul Pogba and the playmaker will only make the switch to United if the Frenchman departs the club before the end of the transfer window.

Currently, it looks more and more likely that the 26-year-old will be staying. Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said that the expects Pogba to remain at the club, while his main suitor Real Madrid are now believed to be pursuing another target.

The La Liga side are said to be closing in on a deal for Ajax’s Donny van de Beek. The Dutchman’s arrival at the Bernabeu would likely end Real’s interest in Pogba, and consequently, end United’s attempt to sign Milinkovic-Savic.