Liverpool appear to have beaten stiff competition from several Russian clubs for the signature of highly rated Serbian teenager Marko Grujic.

The 19-year-old has been watched by several top clubs across European football. However, the likes of Liverpool were one of the first to comment with an official offer for the player. Just days after it was believed that the Premier League outfit had agreed a £ 7.5 million deal for the player, it emerged that CSKA Moscow and Zenit St Petersburg were looking to hijack the deal. The Russian league represents a great attraction for Serbian players and both these top Russian clubs were looking to take advantage of this fact.

Signing players at this age for this price will allow CSKA Moscow and others to sell him at a substantial profit later on. Liverpool, however, appear to be signing the player with a long-term view. The Premier League club recently went through a managerial change that has seen them appoint former Borussia Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp. The signing ofGrujic appeared to be a major doubt over the last few weeks, but a few days ago, the player confirmed that he has indeed signed for Liverpool. Continue reading →