Sydney FC set to sign star who was supposed to be Liverpool’s next big thing – but ended up being a $35million DISASTER for the Reds
- Lazar Markovic is poised to sign for Sydney FC as a free agent
- He was one of European soccer’s hottest prospects when he signed for Liverpool
- But the Serbian international failed to make an impression after joining the Reds
- Markovic signed for Liverpool in 2014, but spent next four seasons on loan
- He left Anfield as a free agent in January 2019 before signing for Fulham
Sydney FC are set to complete the signing of former Liverpool flop Lazar Markovic as Steve Corica looks to reshape his squad ahead of next season.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the 28-year-old could fill the void left by fellow Serbian Milos Ninkovic and Kosta Barbarouses after the former controversially joined Western Sydney Wanderers and the latter returned to Wellington Phoenix.
Markovic arrived at Anfield to much fanfare from Portuguese club Benfica in the summer of 2014 for $35million, with the Reds beating the likes of Chelsea, Tottenham, Bayern Munich and Fiorentina to his signature.
Lazar Markovic signed for Liverpool for $35million back in 2014 but turned out to be a flop
The winger, however, never lived up to his potential with the Reds and left the club as a free agent in January 2019 before signing for Fulham.
Markovic made 34 appearances – 23 of which were starts – in all competitions for Liverpool in his debut season in England, but spent the following four seasons on loan at four different clubs.
It was a dramatic fall from grace for a player who had been compared to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi ahead of his arrival at Anfield by former Chelsea manager Avram Grant.
‘I can say that apart from [Cristiano] Ronaldo and [Lionel] Messi, Markovic is one of the best talents I’ve ever seen at 19 years of age,’ Grant, who coached Markovic at Partizan Belgrade, said in 2014.
Markovic made 34 appearances in all competitions in his first season at Liverpool
‘It was excellent playing with this kid for six months. He has such massive potential that if he changed his attitude in training he could be one of Europe’s best players in his position.
‘He’s young, he’ll mature, and then nobody…