Newcastle United have been told that transfer target Aleksandar Stankovic can be even better than his legendary father Dejan, according to the man himself. The Inter Milan midfielder, valued at €40m, has been linked with a move to St James' Park as the club prepares for the potential departure of Sandro Tonali.
Stankovic senior's high praise
Dejan Stankovic, the former Inter and Serbia star, now manager of Red Star Belgrade, told FCInterNews: “What should I advise him, considering that at his age he might already be a better player than me. The most important thing is consistency. His performances with Lucerne and Brugge have been phenomenal.”
The 20-year-old Aleksandar recently returned to Inter from Club Brugge in a €25m deal after a standout season in Belgium, where he impressed in both domestic competition and the Champions League. Inter are reportedly open to selling him quickly for a profit.
Newcastle's midfield plans
Newcastle are monitoring several options to replace Tonali, who is at the centre of transfer speculation. Tottenham have had an initial bid rejected but are expected to return with an improved offer, while Arsenal, Manchester United, and Manchester City are yet to make their moves. The Magpies have also tracked Monaco's Lamine Camara.
Aleksandar Stankovic has already earned eight caps for Serbia and made 98 senior appearances, scoring 12 goals from a deep midfield role. His father Dejan won 103 caps for Yugoslavia and Serbia, six Serie A titles, and the Champions League in 2010 during a 20-year career with Lazio and Inter.
Father's advice and expectations
Dejan Stankovic added: “Now the pressure on him is high; we’ll see how he reacts. But if he keeps going at this pace, he will become a serious player. Where he will play, I don’t know, but he will be a serious player. I gave an interview when he was three years old. Back then I said what he does with the ball and how he handles it shows he will play football and that it would be a miracle. So for me, it’s no surprise that only his head and his feet are on the ground. Now the hard part is coming for him – that’s when you see what you’re really made of.”
