Who is Lazar Samardzic? The rising Serie A star who turned down moves to Barcelona and Milan
Jacque Talbot
- Updated: 6 Nov 2023 12:49 GMT
- 6 min read
Lazar Samardzic has been one of the breakout stars of the Serie A over the past couple of years.
The dynamic midfielder famously rejected moves to Barcelona and Real Madrid, and it has appeared to have paid dividends.
The 21-year-old currently plays for Udinese, having moved there from RB Leipzig. Across three seasons, Samardzic has scored nine goals in the Italian league in 70 matches. It's no wonder plenty of clubs are sniffing around the youngster.
But who is Samardzic and how good is he really?
What position does Samardzic play in?
Samardzic is a midfielder who can operate in the No.8 role and the No.10 role.
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How good is Samardzic?
The German-born maestro began his youth football journey with BSV Grun-Weiss Neukolln in 2008 and continued there until 2009. He began his professional career with Hertha Berlin, playing in their youth setup.
While playing for their U17 and U19 teams, Samardzic scored 16 and 14 goals, respectively. Samardzic made his debut in 2020 against Union Berlin after coming on as a substitute. His brilliant display soon attracted the attention of elite clubs, including AC Milan and Barcelona.
It was enough for the player to secure a move to RB Leipzig, signing a five-year contract the following season. After a single campaign there, the youngster moved across to Udinese, where he has continued to flourish.
Samardzic, who plays international football for Serbia, has superb ball-striking ability and is dangerous when provided with set-piece opportunities. He thrives in the final third and can create chances for his team-mates with his astute technical ability and passing range.
He is a productive player who likes to move into the half-space with the intention of playing the ball back across to the strikers. The former Bundesliga man can dribble effectively and is not afraid to take on his man when in tight areas.
Samardzic’s ability and recent form will have plenty of clubs knocking on the door for him ahead of the January and summer transfer window.
Indeed, Barcelona and Milan had spoken with the player, and last summer a deal was close with Inter.
“We came to Milan with the whole family. We talked to Paolo Maldini, but I didn’t feel like having an experience in a big city at that time. Barcelona came to my house instead. With Patrick Kluivert. But I chose Leipzig, it was an hour from home. And it was a good choice,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport.
During the last window, in the summer, It’s thought that Inter had reached an agreement with Udinese and Samardzic even underwent his medical with the Nerazzurri, but the move collapsed at the final hurdle.
Most lethal player from outside the box in the world currently https://t.co/4d7vmW1xpG pic.twitter.com/bLEIcDHajP
— ⛓ (@SamardzicFlair) September 11, 2022
What clubs are interested in Samardzic?
Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund, and Juventus have all been linked to Samardzic. The latter were even close to a deal during the summer of 2023, it was reported, but the move never materialised.
When does Samardzic’s contract expire?
Samardzic contract is up at the Stadio Friuli in June 2026.
How old is Samardzic?
Samardzic was born on February 24, 2002, making him 21 years old.
What is Samardzic’s Instagram?
Samardzic’s Instagram account is @lakisamar10. He has 80k followers as of October 2023.
