Grujic (left) Hannah Peters/Getty Images liverpool fans can afford to get excited about their potential capture of serbian starlet Marko Grujic after the adolescent was compared to Anfield legend Steven Gerrard and Paul Pogba. The Liverpool Echo ‘s James Pearce confirmed the Reds are in talks with the 19-year-old regarding a £5 million move in 2016, and serbian journalist Vlastimir Stevanovic likened him to a certain Kop icon :

If I had to compare Marko Grujic to anyone in terms of style of play, I ’ d compare him to our own Steven Gerrard. In Serbia they call him ‘ the new Matic ’ and in Italy they call him ‘ the new Pogba ’. Zeljko Paunovic, the coach of the World Cup winning serbian U19 national team, said the following about him : “ He is good chap with great mentality. “ He ’ s not a bear drawing card, but he ’ s not afraid to play big games. I think he is much more than a regular playmaker or attacking midfielder. He would be bettor suited as a winger or behind the hitter. I think that he should play on the flanks and closer to goal. ”

Grujic ‘s statistics this season surely suggest he ‘s quick for a higher calling, scoring five goals and bagging six assists in 19 SuperLiga appearances for Red Star Belgrade in what ‘s been a breakthrough crusade. The rumor appears to have some meaning, excessively, after Sky Sports ‘ Pete O’Rourke reported Grujic has already held talks with the Reds : however, the playmaker told serbian newspaper Blic he wo n’t leave Red Star Belgrade suspension in the winter transplant windowpane and will rather hold out for a interchange next summer ( h/t Metro ‘s Will Giles ) :

I will do my best to show deference to the cabaret [ Red Star ], the public and the supporters, but then I think I need to choose the best environment for myself in which I ’ ll get my chance and work with good coaches in full conditions.

possibly something will happen, but there ’ s no rush. I am surely staying there [ Red Star ] until the end of the qualifiers for the Champions League. That works for Liverpool excessively. We had talks and I haven ’ t made any batch yet. I am inactive a Red Star player .

It ‘s a rare show of maturity from one so young, considering Grujic risks losing a fortune of the ballyhoo presently surrounding him by waiting until following summer, although he ‘s besides likely to receive better offers at that stagecoach .Video Play Button

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Reds supporters will be pleased to hear the child speak specifically of their interest, but Sport Witness confirmed Inter and Chelsea could be among those suitors set to contend for the 2015 Under-20 World Cup winner : One would be inclined to suggest Liverpool look a more sympathetic prospect than Chelsea as things stand. The Merseysiders are eighth in the Premier League—eight points and six places above the Blues—and enjoying a rejuvenation under Jurgen Klopp. Club captain Jordan Henderson has been compared to Gerrard in the by, but while it ‘s his leadership that most makes him a campaigner, there ‘s inactive a arrant contrast in regards to ability.

FIONA GOODALL/Getty Images Talents like Gerrard and Pogba come approximately very rarely, but Grujic is gathering a considerable play along in top-flight circles, and a fee of precisely £5 million makes him an enticing option with room for major profit. Klopp missed the opportunity to work with Gerrard at the Anfield helm, but there ‘s a opportunity the tactician will have his chance to unearth a star who could be seen as a successor to one of the club ‘s all-time greats .