Salzburg’s defensive leader Strahinja Pavlovic is on the verge of a transfer to AC Milan. The 23-year-old Serb has been given permission to negotiate with another club and was therefore absent from the training of Austria’s runner-up on Monday. A club spokesman confirmed this to the APA in the afternoon. A transfer fee of just under 20 million euros is being discussed. Including bonus payments, this mark could easily be exceeded.
On a personal level, according to Italian media reports, Pavlovic has been in agreement with Milan for weeks. The central defender has signaled to Salzburg that he wants to accept the Rossoneri’s offer. A final decision could be made as early as Tuesday. Pavlovic would be Salzburg’s first major sale this summer. The Bulls have already sold ten players abroad for 20 million euros and more in the past decade.
Reuters/Gepa Pictures/ Mathias Mandl
Pavlovic moved from AS Monaco to Salzburg in the summer of 2022 for a reported seven million euros transfer fee. He was not only a regular player for the then serial champions straight away, but quickly became a key player. With his fighting spirit and toughness in duels, the left-footer is also a fixture in the Serbian national team. Pavlovic had already flirted with a move to a major league last winter, but Salzburg put a stop to that.
There could be more departures this summer. Pavlovic’s fellow defender Oumar Solet is a particular candidate, as the Frenchman will be available on a free transfer in a year due to his contract expiring. Salzburg’s sporting director Bernhard Seonbuchner could still get an attractive sum for the 24-year-old before the transfer deadline in the top leagues on August 30. Borussia Dortmund, VfL Wolfsburg, AS Roma and most recently Villarreal have already been rumored as possible interested parties.
