From all the loanees that Premier League clubs have around the world, Lazar Markovic is by far the one who gets the most attention from the press.
Every week we find an article about him which we think it would be interesting to share with Liverpool fans, and one specific piece by Record today kind of sums it all up.
They have a one-and-a-half page story saying the player is expected to start against Nacional next Friday. The biggest reason for it would be the change of position, as Markovic will play behind Bas Dost in the attack.
Then come the facts why Sporting should still believe in him. Record mentions he had a good pre-season with Liverpool, as they take the comments made by Jurgen Klopp to say that even the German manager was pleased with his performances.
That would be a reason why Liverpool did not let Sporting have a purchase option for the player, as the Reds still believe he could be useful for the club.
Then there’s the fitness issue. Despite saying Markovic is in the same physical level as the other players from the squad, Record claims the lack of game consistency is something that leaves him behind.
Markovic never had a good run since moving from Benfica to Liverpool, as injuries spoiled his spells at Anfield and at Fenerbahce. But even though he has been fit for months, he’s still not ready.
The competition for what they call the ‘9.5’ role is also mentioned, as many players have been used there, but none of them has succeeded. This would be the first time for Markovic, and that’s what most of the fuss is about.
The Portuguese press really loves him, but Sporting fans are not that patient. Markovic has eight appearances and two goals for the club, but is still far from convincing. All this while working under Jorge Jesus, the manager who oversaw his development at Benfica during the best season of his career.
