Uros Racic: 8 Things to Know About the Serbian Midfielder

Serbia have produced more than their fair share of talented young midfielders in recent years, and the next man looking to make that breakthrough is Valencia's Uroš Račić.

The 22-year-old joined Valencia back in 2018 but has spent the past two seasons out on loan in Spain and then Portugal, and his performances have earned him a spot in the headlines as Manchester United have been linked with the Serb.

Here's everything you need to know about Račić.

1. Comparisons to Nemanja Matic Are a Little Off

Despite billed as the heir to Nemanja Matić's throne at the base of Serbia's midfield, comparisons between Račić and the United man are a little wide of the mark. Some Serbian outlets have even been laughing at the idea.

While he does play in that role for Serbia's Under-21 side, he told Mozzart Sport that he actually feels more at home in an advanced role as he likes doing everything - including scoring goals.

Instead, comparisons to Lazio powerhouse Sergej Milinković-Savić make more sense.

2. He Names Paul Pogba as His Favourite Player

Another box-to-box midfielder in the same mould as Račić is United's Paul Pogba, who just so happens to be the Valencia man's favourite player.

He told Blic Sport that he enjoys watching the Frenchman to learn what he needs to do to improve and reach such a high level, but he's not scared of taking advice from anyone.

When he signed for Valencia, he also said (via Marca) that he enjoys watching Andrés Iniesta and Luka Modrić.

3. He Felt He Was Too Good to Sit on Valencia's Bench

After first joining Valencia in 2018, Račić didn't get much game time, which led to him joining Tenerife on loan, and he confessed that he was the driving force behind the move as he felt he was not getting the minutes he deserved.

"I really don't think that [Geoffrey] Kondogbia, [Dani] Parejo and [Francis] Coquelin are much better than me," he said. "I believed that I could play and deserve minutes. That's why I decided to go to Tenerife."

4. Tenerife Had Mixed Feelings About Him

Many reports of Račić's time with Tenerife describe him as an idol to fans, but the mood around his time there wasn't always so positive.

Račić ended the season by struggling to hold down a regular spot in the first team, and then-Tenerife boss José Luis Oltra told El Día that his performances weren't always as good as they looked.

He described Račić's statistics as 'downright bad' and pointed out one particularly poor performance against Almería, although ended by insisting there has still been plenty of positives.

Tenerife won just two of 16 games with him in the team, but won all five of the games in which he didn't feature. Make of that what you will.

5. He's Interested in Moving to England

Račić has previously said La Liga is his favourite league in the world, but he admitted to Sport Klub that he also has a soft spot for the Premier League.

His biggest goal is to win the Champions League, adding that he dreams of leading Serbian side Red Star to the ultimate glory one day.

6. Porto & Benfica Wanted Him After His Famalicão Heroics

One of the biggest stories of European football last season was the emergence of Famalicão, a newly promoted side who were top of the table and went toe-to-toe with some of Portugal's biggest sides for the majority of the season.

Račić was part of that side, spending the campaign out on loan with the minnows, making 39 appearances in all competitions and chipping in with three goals and two assists.

That form attracted interest from both Porto and Benfica, but neither were prepared to meet Valencia's demands.

7. He Loves a Worldie

He might not score many goals, but when he does, Račić makes sure they're pretty memorable.

He picked up the Goal of the Week award for the screamer against Vitória Setúbal you can see above, but there's also a worldie against Moreirense and a stunner against Sporting CP for you to enjoy.

Račić may have only scored three goals in Portugal, but they were worth the wait.

8. He's In No Rush to Leave Valencia

After a tricky start to life in Spain, Račić has admitted he has finally adjusted to life there and feels in no rush to leave.

In an interview with Valencia (via Superdeporte), that he speaks more Spanish now and has been helped by plenty of his team-mates, and now his focus is simply on wanting to succeed with Valencia.

He later made it clear that he will only leave if manager Javi Gracia wants him to.

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