Newcastle United have learned that they will have to pay £35m should they want to sign Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic this summer, according to reports.

What's the latest on Milinkovic-Savic to Newcastle?

Following Jonjo Shelvey’s move to Nottingham Forest, Eddie Howe is expected to bolster his ranks with at least a few new central signings ahead of the new term and has identified the 28-year-old as an ideal candidate to bring to St. James’ Park.

The Serbian will be out of contract at the Stadio Olimpico next summer meaning that the upcoming window will present Maurizio Sarri’s side with their final big opportunity to cash in for a decent fee. The Serie A star is currently his team’s overall top-performing player with a match rating of 7.25 so it’s no surprise that he’s caught the eye of the boss in the northeast.

Calcio Mercato reported in February that the Magpies, alongside Premier League rivals Arsenal and West Ham, had already put forward proposals to their target’s agent but that can’t have been the case as they are only now discovering what his asking price will be.

According to Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Milinkovic-Savic‘s representative, Mateja Kezman, is “on a mission” to receive offers worth €40m (£35m) for his client which could prove to be a roadblock. The Tyneside outfit would only likely place a bid in between €20-25m (£17-21m), certainly no more than €30m (£26m) as a result of him likely to be available on a cut-price deal. The high-flyers would have to table the fee being demanded in order for it to get accepted and whether he would be open to the switch yet remains to be seen.

Should Newcastle splash the cash on Milinkovic-Savic?

Milinkovic-Savic’s Lazio teammate Ciro Immobile has claimed that the midfielder is on the “same level” as Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne, and looking at his numbers, it would certainly be worth Newcastle emptying their pockets to secure his signature.

The Nike-sponsored star has posted 12 goal contributions (eight assists and four goals) in 25 Serie A appearances this season and would add excellent versatility to the squad with his ability to play in defensive, central or attacking midfield alongside as a second striker.

Standing at 6 foot 4, Milinkovic-Savic also brings a strong physical presence to the centre of the pitch and is competitive off the ground ranking in the 96th percentile for most aerials won highlighting his desire to win back possession for his team so he would be the ideal reinforcement for the Magpies.