Journalist Dharmesh Sheth has claimed in a Sky Sports News transfer update that Liverpool attacker Lazar Markovic will not be at the club next season.
The transfer expert and host of the broadcaster’s TransferTalk podcast, as detailed on his official Twitter account, explained in an update that there is no chance of the 24-year-old staying at Anfield beyond the expiry of his contract in the summer.
“Markovic joined almost five years ago and hasn’t played under Jurgen Klopp, he won’t be at the club next season,” said Sheth on Sky Sport News (Monday January 7, 15:22).
OPINION
There’s no surprise that Liverpool have no intention of hanging on to Markovic, or attempting to negotiate a contract extension. The £20million signing has been an Anfield flop with a capital ‘F’. He has not had a look-in under Jurgen Klopp, who made an early judgement call that the one-dimensional Serbia international would not fit into his side’s playing style. Markovic had a few bright moments when Brendan Rodgers was manager, but he is an emblem of the days when Liverpool had as many hits as misses in the transfer market. He has subsequently plummeted down the pecking order to the point where he has been frozen out of the first team set-up and has made two appearances for the club’s Under-23s in Premier League 2 this season. A series of loan spells have failed to yield Markovic a contract offer commensurate with his Liverpool deal, so he has sat tight and wound down his contract. What a waste. He should have bit the bullet and taken a pay cut to a new club to reignite his career.