Arsenal and Chelsea both have a “serious” interest in Lazio playmaker Sergej Milinkovic-Savic but they have been put off by his €70m (£60m) to €80m (£68m) asking price, according to Calciomercato.com.

The Italian website claim that the two London clubs did make “explanatory contacts” to ascertain whether the Serbian international was available this summer.

However, Milinkovic-Savic’s valuation, combined with the player’s lack of enthusiasm about making the switch to England, essentially stopped any negotiation at a very early stage.

The Gunners are interested in recruiting a midfielder, and Milinkovic-Savic has been mentioned as a potential option by some reliable English sources, so it is likely that an enquiry was made.

With Leicester’s Youri Tielemans being available for less than half the price, it is not a surprise that Mikel Arteta’s side cooled their interest in Milinkovic-Savic so quickly. It seems unlikely that they will revisit the situation in the future.