Top 10 breakout stars of 2017

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic

Savic is on the radar of some big clubs

There can be little doubt that Sergej Milinkovic-Savic was the breakout performer in Serie A during 2017. The Lazio midfielder’s star has risen rapidly over the course of the calendar year, having produced four goals and nine assists in his debut campaign in Italy.

Since then, he has only progressed and the 22-year-old is already considered to be one of the league’s top midfielders.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of his game is his sheer all-around ability. While the statistics speak volumes for his talents going forward, those are mirrored by the ones that showcase defensive strength. He takes part and wins more duels than any other midfielder in the league, while his record in terms of winning aerial battles is also formidable.

His bullish influence in the centre of the park, where he is built perfectly for the modern game, has propelled Lazio back towards prosperity.

Manchester United and Inter are among the clubs linked with a €100 million move for the youngster, who has not even been a first-team regular with Lazio for 18 months.

And he has a penchant for impressing quickly. His agent, Mateja Kezman, claimed that he needed to only see the player train for 10 minutes with Vojvodina’s youth team before taking him under his wing.