According to reports from The Liverpool Echo, Chelsea midfield target Marko Grujic has agreed a contract with Liverpool ahead of a €7million January move to Merseyside.
The Red Star Belgrade prodigy, whose imposing 6 foot 3 frame has earned comparisons with countryman Nemanja Matic, first drew attention as Serbia lifted the U20 World Cup during the summer.
He’s gone on to become an integral figure in the Red Star starting Xi, bagging five goals in 21 outings this season to help Miodrag Bozovic’s side amass a 25-point lead at the Serbian Premier League’s summit.
That warranted scouting missions from Chelsea and Manchester United earlier this season and the 19-year-old later confirmed genuine interest from west London, telling reporters; “Nemanja Matic is a friend, he’s Serbian and he has been at Chelsea for over a year. He tells me that they want me.” Some reports even claimed the Blues had already scheduled a loan move to Eintracht Frankfurt.
Want More? Chelsea News | Liverpool News
But Liverpool have emerged as the front-runners in the race to sign the teenage midfielder ever since he revealed talks with the Merseyside outfit earlier this month. “I had a talk with Liverpool, but I did not receive yet any agreement. I’m still a Red Star player,” said Grujic after a 7-2 win over Cukaricki.
Reds chief executive Ian Ayre flew out to Serbia at the end of last week to speed up negotiations and according to The Liverpool Echo, the deal is now all but officially concluded.
Grujic has signed a five-year contract that will make him Jurgen Klopp’s first signing as Liverpool boss, ahead of a €7million move in January. But €1million will be paid back to the Reds as a loan fee when they allow the prodigious Serbian to return to Red Star for the second half of the season as agreed.
The Belgrade outfit also negotiated a 10% sell-on clause.
january transfert
out
benteke 35
moreno 25
allen 10
milner 5
bogdan 3
in
ter stegen 40
subotic 5
l.moura 35
sane 15
goundogan 25
caceres 8
—————ter stegen—————–
clyne—-suboic——–sakho—-caceres
—-emre can————-goundogan—-
sane———–coutinho———-l.moura
—————sturridge——————-
summer transfert
out
mignolet 15
lovren 15
toure free
lucas 5
skrtel 10
henderson 35
coutinho 60
firmino 25
lallana 20
markovic 15
balotelli 10
sturridge 25
in
horn 5
murillo 30
grimaldo 10
matip free
grujic 5
ruben neves 35
isco 45
reus 45
icardi 30
embolo 20
—————–ter stegen——————-
clyne—–murillo——–sakho—–caceres
—–ruben neves———–goundogan—–
reus—————-isco————–l.moura
——————–icardi———————-