21 Dec 2015

Transfer Agreed: Liverpool to sign 'excellent' midfield powerhouse. 5-year deal. Medical this week

After weeks of speculation, Liverpool have agreed a deal to sign 'excellent' Red Star Belgrade midfielder Marko Grucic, who will become the first transfer of the Jurgen Klopp era.

According to multiple reports today, including the Liverpool Echo:

* Grujic - nicknamed the 'New Pogba' - has agreed a five-year contract with Liverpool, who will pay a €7m (£5m) fee for the 19-year old midfield.

* Red Star have negotiated a 10% sell-on clause, and Grucic, will stay at the club on loan for the rest of the season.

* Klopp 'spoke to Grujic personally' in a bid to seal the deal, and the Serbian will 'fly to Merseyside this week' to undergo a medical.

This type of signing fits Klopp's transfer MO: cheap, relatively unknown, and capable of being moulded into a top-class player. Unfortunately, Liverpool fans will have to wait another nine months to see Grucic in action in a competitive game.

Sorry, but I just can't get excited about this deal. Grucic is 19 - are we to believe that he's going to walk into Liverpool's first team next season and have a transformative impact?

Is Klopp going to pin all his hopes on an 19-year old, and put him straight in the team alongside Henderson? Doubtful. I'm absolutely sure that Liverpool will sign another experienced midfielder in the summer (with Allen, Can, and Milner as options, it's arguably a necessity), and that will impact on Grucic's game time.

According to the Daily Mail:

"Grucic is keen on a move to Anfield although his parents do not want him to leave Red Star as they believe he is too young".

Totally agree. Grucic is better off staying at Red Star for another 2-3 seasons, but the ship has now sailed on that possibility. Still, £5m for a potential star of the future is a refreshingly non-extortionate fee, and with his height, Grucic may (later down the line) add much-needed presence and strength to Liverpool's midfield.

On a related note: Grucic recently confirmed that he wants to help Red star qualify for the Champions League. Well, it'll be deliciously ironic if he achieves that goal, and then arrives at Anfield in the summer to find the Reds have failed to qualify (which on current form, looks like a distinct possibility).

Be careful what you wish for, Marko.

Author: Jaimie K


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