Marko Grujic set to leave Liverpool on loan in January

Liverpool midfielder Marko Grujic is set to leave on loan in January, with his agent stressing that he will only join another English club.

The 21-year-old has only made five appearances for the Reds so far this season, totalling 109 minutes on the pitch for the first team.

Despite injuries to Jordan Henderson and Emre Can in recent weeks, Grujic has still not started in the Premier League since joining from Red Star Belgrade in 2016.

He was convinced to stay on Merseyside last summer, but Grujic’s agent, Zoran Stojadinovic, has revealed he will seek a loan switch in the winter transfer window.

And Stojadinovic believes his client cannot afford to make the same mistake as Lazar Markovic, who left England for spells with Fenerbahce and Sporting CP and has since been marginalised.

“Grujic has to go somewhere in January in a loan, in the team where he will play,” he told Serbian publication Blic.

“It must be an English club, so as not to make a mistake like Lazar Markovic did. Had Lazar been my client, I would never advise him to leave England.

“He changed the country, the style of football, the temperament, the climate, and therefore his return to Liverpool was an impossible mission.

“To return to Grujic, he is very much appreciated in Liverpool and therefore he did not go anywhere because they did not want to let him go.

“But he needs more minutes in the field and that’s why the loan is the best solution for him in January to return to Liverpool after his return to the starting line.”

At 21, Grujic is not yet even a regular on the substitutes’ bench under Jurgen Klopp, but his first-team status has also limited his outings for the Liverpool U23s.

Klopp has praised Grujic’s development this term, but is likely aware that a lack of game time will hamper his progress in the long term.

Joining a side in the Premier League or the upper reaches of the Championship would be wise move for Grujic, whose physicality and technical quality would be a major asset.

And with Stojadinovic declaring the youngster’s intention to remain at Liverpool beyond a temporary move, this would no doubt benefit the Reds.

Grujic is unlikely to be the only player to leave the club on loan in January, with Ovie Ejaria, Ben Woodburn, Harry Wilson and Danny Ings possible candidates.

Ings is attracting interest from Newcastle United, and Klopp recently explained how the competition for places in attack has kept the England international out of the picture.