Football
Exclusive: Brighton and Aston Villa Prepare Bids for AC Milan Defender Strahinja Pavlović
Brighton and Aston Villa are lining up bids for AC Milan defender Strahinja Pavlovic, with Crystal Palace also interested. The 24-year-old is valued at £45 million and is open to a move to the Premier League for regular football. Interested clubs are preparing offers as the transfer window re-opens.
Strahinja Pavlovic of AC Milan celebrates the victory at the... by Nicolò Campo | Getty Images
Brighton and Aston Villa are both weighing up a move for sought-after AC Milan centre-back Strahinja Pavlović, SportsBoom sources can reveal.
Serbian international defender Pavlovic is wanted by Crystal Palace as the Eagles eye up a replacement following the expected departure of England centre-back Marc Guehi.
And SportsBoom has gathered that the Seagulls and Villa are both interested in the player, having kept tabs on the player for much of last season.
Pavlovic, 24, has a contract with Milan until June 2028 and the Italian giants have the option of extending that deal, with a further year option in his current agreement.
But a rumoured fee of £45million could prove too tempting to turn down as the trio of Premier League clubs look to push a deal through ahead of next season.
Palace are rumoured to have offered £30million for the 46-cap international, but the Eagles have declined to comment on any potential deal.
PRIZED SIGNATURE
However, Eagles boss Oliver Glasner is desperate to get a deal done quickly with Brighton and Villa now readying offers for the player’s prized signature.
Pavlovic is understood to be relaxed about the bidding way and happy to review any offers which come his way.
And after a strong season for Milan in Serie A, in which he played for most of the season, including Champions League football, the former Partizan, Monaco and Red Bull Salzburg defender is just hungry to play regular football.
A move to the Premier League is something he would consider if the right club came calling, with interest set to intensify with the transfer window set to re-pen again on Monday 16th June after an early ten-day window was opened just prior to the Fifi Club World Cup in the United States.
Palace are also looking at Burnley defender Maxime Esteve as a possible replacement for Guehi, with Liverpool, Arsenal and Newcastle United hungry to sign the talented centre-back.
Neil has been a journalist for longer than he'd care to remember, having written for national newspapers and respected publications for over 25 years. For the last three years he has worked freelance for BBC Sport, working on the production desk as a sub-editor and also as a writer, covering a whole range of sports.