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Aleksandar Stankovic is attracting strong interest from both Arsenal and Chelsea (Picture: Getty)
Arsenal and Chelsea are battling it out with Borussia Dortmund to sign Club Brugge midfielder Aleksandar Stankovic, according to reports in Belgium.
Stankovic, the youngest son of Inter Milan legend Dejan, is enjoying an eye-catching debut season with Club Brugge, making 36 appearances in all competitions while chipping in with seven goals.
The 20-year-old came through Inter Milan’s academy ranks but left the Serie A giants last summer in pursuit of regular playing time following a season-long loan move to Swiss outfit Luzern.
However, just 12 months on, there is mounting speculation that Stankovic could be on the move again, with his performances not going unnoticed and catching the attention of some of Europe’s top teams.
According to Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, several elite sides have enquired about Stankovic’s potential availability in recent weeks and months, including Borussia Dortmund.
Arsenal and Chelsea are also admirers and it’s claimed the two Premier League clubs are in regular contact with both Club Brugge and Roc Nation, who represent Stankovic.
The report adds that the deep-lying midfielder – who has been capped four times by Serbia – is viewed as a ‘very interesting prospect’ for the future at both the Emirates and Stamford Bridge.
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The midfielder has scored seven goals in all competitions for Club Brugge this term (Picture: Getty)
FC Internazionale Milano v Tottenham Hotspur - UEFA Champions League
Stankovic is the son of former Inter midfielder Dejan (Picture: Getty)
The one major sticking point for Arsenal and Chelsea comes in the shape of Inter Milan, who inserted a buyback clause in their transfer deal with Club Brugge for Stankovic – meaning they can re-sign the youngster for a fee of €23million (£20m) in the first two weeks of June.
Arsenal and Chelsea would likely have to spend a ‘much higher’ fee than the ‘bargain’ price available to Inter at the start of the summer transfer window.
Should they decide against bringing Stankovic back to the San Siro, Inter would receive 50 per cent of the profit from any sale.
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Borussia Dortmund have also been keeping tabs on Stankovic’s progress (Picture: Getty)
Stankovic’s current contract with Club Brugge runs through to June 2029.
Speaking after Club Brugge’s 3-0 win over Standard Liege on Sunday, Stankovic’s father, Dejan, said his son deserved the attention he was receiving due to his ‘transformation’ in Belgium this season.
‘I think it’s right that we talk about him. And I’ve already said, at his age he’s already a better player than I was,’ Stankovic – who won an historic treble with Inter in 2010 – said.
‘What advice could I give him? Time will tell, but the most important thing is consistency.
SOCCER CL D8 CLUB BRUGGE VS OLYMPIQUE DE MARSEILLE PREPARATIONS
Inter can re-sign Stankovic for a fee of £20m in June (Picture: Getty)
‘He made excellent decisions, between Luzern and Bruges. He left home, suffered, learned, worked.
‘His transformation has been incredible. He’s improving game after game, but now the pressure is coming.’
He added: ‘If Aleksandar continues at this pace, he’ll be playing top-level football.
‘I can’t tell you where yet, but that’s how it will be.’
In a recent interview, Stankovic made no secret of the fact he ‘dreamed’ of one day returning to Inter Milan having failed to make the step up from the academy to the first-team.
‘People often say that I was born in an Inter shirt,’ he explained.
‘I’ve always said that imagined playing at the San Siro as a kid and that remains a dream that I’m pursuing.’
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