Real Madrid and Barcelona Want to Sign Milan Skriniar, Says Agent
Gill Clark@@gillclarky
Featured Columnist IIMarch 21, 2019
Real Madrid and Barcelona are both interested in signing Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar, according to Mithat Halis from the agency that represents the Slovakia international.
Halis, a partner at the Star & Friends agency, offered an update on the centre-back's future to Ozgur Sancar at AS.
"Real Madrid want to sign him, so do Barcelona; whoever can convince Inter to let him go will sign him this summer. Skriniar is a model professional. If Real Madrid want him, they could get him but there are other agents who have a vested interest in taking players where they want.
"Mino Raiola, who represents Ibrahimovic and Pogba, might try to mislead Skriniar, but the player is on the books at our company - we have a contract with him. Inter paid Sampdoria 28 million euros for Skriniar and six months later, Manchester City came in with an offer of 55 million. Now he is valued at around 100 million. Any deal would certainly be complicated by the interference of intermediaries."
Skriniar has emerged as one of Europe's top defenders since joining Inter from Sampdoria in 2017 and has become a vital player for the Nerazzurri:
Scouted Football @ScoutedFtblMilan Škriniar (23) in all competitions since joining Internazionale: • 51 appearances • 40 goals conceded • 22 clean sheets Internazionale's last 51 games in all competitions before signing Škriniar: • 72 goals conceded • 8 clean sheets Influential. https://t.co/xqQ7Ldvvl8
He's been rock-solid at the heart of the defence and is also composed in possession:
The 24-year-old has three years left on his current deal but said in an interview with Tuttosport that he hopes to sign an extension at the San Siro (h/t Goal's Joe Wright).
"You all know I want to stay at Inter," he said. "I have a great relationship with the club and the directors. We're talking and we're close to an agreement."
Yet Skriniar has yet to sign a new deal, and Inter may face a tough decision if they were to receive a hefty offer for the defender in the summer transfer window.
Real Madrid could be in the market for a defender if they were to lose Raphael Varane.
The France international is considering his options at the club and could leave in search of a new challenge, according to L'Equipe:
Meanwhile, Barcelona continue to be heavily linked with a move for Ajax defender Matthijs de Ligt.
According to Sport, the Catalan giants have offered €60 million (£52 million) for the Dutch centre-back, and he appears to be their top priority with regards strengthening their defence.