Marko Grujic is to face yet another decisive summer at Liverpool with Porto not to set any extensions in motion after his season-long loan move.
Since arriving at Anfield in 2016, the 24-year-old has struggled to lay down any roots having spent five seasons on loan with four clubs across the continent.
A permanent move last summer had been touted for Grujic but with no suitors prepared to meet Liverpool’s demands, another temporary switch beckoned — this time in Portugal.
The move appeared as one which could see him compete for regular minutes in an exciting Porto side, but the Serbian has found most of his minutes off the bench.
Only 10 of his 29 appearances have come as a member of the starting XI, where only on four occasions has he played the full 90 minutes having been unable to displace Sergio Oliveira.
And according to Portuguese outlet Record, via Sport Witness, Porto are already on the hunt for a replacement this summer having shown no interest in keeping Grujic on board.
They have signalled a midfielder as “one of the priorities” for the upcoming window and it means Grujic will once again return to Liverpool at the conclusion of the season with his career up in the air once again despite being contracted until 2023.
He will be expected to part ways with the Reds but it remains to be seen whether his tumultuous time in Portugal will attract fresh interest of a permanent variety.
What could work in Liverpool’s favour is exposure in the Champions League, where Grujic has accumulated 233 minutes to his name with Porto now in the quarter-finals and to meet Chelsea.
It’s not the ideal set of circumstances as had he remained on Merseyside he would likely have seen more than the 918 minutes Porto have handed him due to the plethora of injuries.
With Grujic nearing the age of 25, there will be a desire from all parties to see his future resolved sooner rather than later.
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