Teenage midfielder Marko Grujic has arrived on Merseyside for a medical and to complete his proposed £5.1m transfer to Liverpool, according to Sky Sports.
The Reds reached an agreement with Red Star Belgrade last month for the Serbian U21 international who is poised to become Jurgen Klopp’s first signing.
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Sky Sports reports that the move is not expected to be confirmed before Tuesday after which Grujic will rejoin Red Star on loan until the end of the season.
However, Serbian publication Mozzart Sport claims that Grujic actually won’t return to Belgrade and will instead link up with the Liverpool squad immediately.
The Reds have previously used the loan-back approach in the transfer market with Divock Origi, who stayed with Lille last season after signing for Brendan Rodgers in 2014.
But Klopp may want to work with Grujic straight away, and Liverpool’s midfield options have been hit by recent injuries to captain Jordan Henderson and James Milner.
Grujic confirmed the move over the weekend, with Sky Sports quoting him as posting on his Facebook account: “On 4th January I will become a Liverpool player.”
Sky Sports adds that Russian duo CSKA Moscow and Zenit St Petersburg tried to hijack the deal late on and were offering over £7m for the talented 19-year-old.
But Klopp personally intervened to persuade Grujic, who was a member of Serbia’s FIFA U20 World Cup winning side in 2015, that Anfield was the place for him.
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