Nikola Milenkovic

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Nikola Milenkovic





Current Club: Fiorentina.

Previous Clubs: Partizan Belgrade.

Loan Clubs: Teleoptik.





International: Serbia 10 caps.

Trophies Won: Serbian League 2016/17. Serbian Cup 2016/17.





A rangy but pacey centre back who can play right back as well, with the technical skills needed to play at full back in the modern game. He is a modern day defender, who is more reliant on his physical ability than good positioning to allow him to close down attackers and block shots. To be fair he is very good at it, having quick reactions and pace to get across the ground.



On a one-on-one, his lack of positioning can be exploited, as he can be caught out and beaten without time to get himself set and he does not have a good record statistically in one-on-ones. At full back, despite his quality on the ball, he can struggle a bit with his crossing, though he is far from the worst crosser of a ball.



He is a very good passer of the ball and likes to play long passes out from the back to open up the play. His passing is very good and he is extremely comfortable on the ball, which is why he can be so useful at full-back. Milenkovic has good technique, something that Eastern Europeans used to be known for.



But he is more than just a ball-playing defender, he is extremely good in the air, especially when able to jump on the run, as he has an exceptional leap. His leap makes him incredibly dangerous on attacking setpieces, Milenkovic can tower over a defence to win a header, like an old-fashioned target man.



Milenkovic has good timing in the tackle, but his key asset is, in my opinion, his ability to spot an attacking pass and cut it out before it reaches an attacker. In the modern game, his skill at interceptions is probably the most useful skill a defender can have, with tackling becoming more and more difficult to manage without giving away a free kick.



With his pace and aerial prowess added to quality on the ball, Milenkovic looks like a player designed for the English game. It can only be a matter of time before he makes a step up to a club with regular Champions League football.





Requested by - Deependra