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Lazar Markovic’s move to Anderlecht on deadline day was a huge gamble for the Belgian club.

Anderlecht had wanted to sign Aleksandar Mitrovic but when that fell apart on deadline day, Het Belang van Limburg reported the club’s manager was given a list of attackers who could be signed in the remaining hours.

Markovic was picked, because the manager remembered his good Benfica days, but there wasn’t time for a medical. Anderlecht’s doctor then telephoned his counterpart at Liverpool who assured him the Serbian was completely well and there was nothing to worry about.

Fast forward a week, and there’s plenty to worry about.

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Anderlecht Online report Markovic’s physical tests have produced ‘abysmal’ results. The Liverpool owned player has been put on a special training programme, with extra sessions to get him up to standard. Despite that it’s still thought he won’t be available for five to six weeks.

At the longer time, that would take Markovic to the end of March without having been selectable for Anderlecht, because of his fitness.

And there’s another problem. Markovic himself thinks he’s ready and isn’t so keen on all the extra training.

On a brighter note it’s already been seen in Anderlecht training that their Liverpool visitor knows his way around a football.