Chelsea eye £34m midfielder as dream Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo alternative emerges

Chelsea are interested in signing Al-Hilal midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, according to reports. The 30-year-old moved to Saudi Arabia from Lazio in July 2023 in a deal worth £34million, but could be available as a free agent next summer when his contract expires.

The Serbia international has previously been linked with the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United but it is Chelsea who are the latest Premier League club tracking the defensive midfielder, according to Corriere Dello Sport. The report states that Enzo Maresca's side are interested in signing Milinkovic-Savic for free at the end of the season.

Since making the move to Saudi Arabia, the midfielder has played more than 100 games for Al-Hilal and contributed with 30 goals and 26 assists. Before that, he spent eight years at Lazio and it has even been suggested he could return to Serie A in 2026, with Juventus, Inter and Milan all tracking the Serb.

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Chelsea currently have the likes of Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, Andrey Santos, Dario Essugo and Romeo Lavia capable of playing in the central midfield position. But the Blues have been flexible in the transfer market and shown they are not afraid to take calculated risks when an opportunity arises.

Of course, a lot may depend on whether Milinkovic-Savic chooses to extend his stay in Saudi Arabia. The midfielder was part of the side who beat Man City 4-3 in the Club World Cup round of 16 in the summer and speaking after the match, Milinkovic-Savic's passion for the Saudi Pro League was clear to see.

“We’ve made history tonight," he said. "It was a massive game and a huge result. For anyone who doubts our league, we’ve shown on the pitch that the Saudi league is strong — we proved it to the world.”

He added: "A lot of people had things to say when I joined the league. What happened tonight, and our performances against Real Madrid and Salzburg, is the best answer to those critics.”