Lazar Markovic is still at Liverpool!

Liverpool signed Serbian playmaker Lazar Markovic in the summer of 2014. Markovic had shone for Benfica scoring five goals in 26 matches in just one season.

The Reds paid Benfica £20 million for the midfielder and in his debut season, he followed up his signing with a disappointing three goals in 34 games.

Since joining Liverpool four and a half years ago, Markovic has been sent on loan four times. He was expected to leave for Anderlecht in the summer, but that deal fell through.

Now, with his contract expiring in the summer, Markovic is playing with Liverpool’s under-23 squad. Markovic is still just 24, but one journalist wasn’t kind to the player following his recent performance for the Liverpool U23 side.

“Lazar Markovic, extradited from the first team and now rarely spotted, played the whole 90 minutes but failed to make much of an impact,” Matt Addison, freelance journalist, recently wrote.

“The Serbian clearly has talent on the ball, but off it hardly tracked his man once and physically looks below par even at youth level.

“If this was Markovic putting himself in the shop window, it perhaps shows why he remains at the club despite being available for at least the last two years.

“He will move on in the summer but which club will take him remains a mystery.”

Liverpool Reds FC Blog’s take

Liverpool are once again being linked with a Benfica player. Joao Felix is on the club’s radar, but with Markovic’s value being increased due to playing in the Portuguese league, should Liverpool move for Felix?

Right now, I don’t think so. A number of other teams including Manchester United are scouting the 19-year-old. Liverpool should focus on adding a striker such as Timo Werner to the side rather than an unproven attacking midfielder.