Why Liverpool have made a wise decision to loan out Marko Grujic
The offloading process for Liverpool continues and it is Marko Grujic who succeeds Ragnar Klavan on the list. According to Liverpool Echo, the 22-year-old Serbian has joined Bundesliga outfit Hertha Berlin on a season-long loan stint.
The central midfielder joined Liverpool back in 2016 from Red Star Belgrade and has spent time on loan away from Anfield at his former club. In addition, he also helped Cardiff City secure promotion to the Premier League in the latter half of the previous season.
In spite of making his debut for the Reds in 2016, the Serbian international has more or less been a fringe player for Jurgen Klopp’s side, making only 8 appearances in all competitions over the course of two years.
However, as Liverpool Echo claims, Klopp sees Grujic as a potential first-team option for the next season, provided the Serbian continues to impress.
And a loan move to Hertha Berlin is a win-win situation for all parties involved. As promising as Grujic is, the Serbian had little chances of breaking into the first-team picture at Anfield as Liverpool have plenty of resources in the midfield department.
With the likes of Jordan Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum and Adam Lallana in the squad, it would have been virtually impossible for the 22-year-old to mount a serious challenge for a place in the team.
Klopp’s new acquisitions in the form of Naby Keita and Fabinho has pushed Grujic further down the pecking order as both of them are specialist central midfielders.
Looking at the other side of things, Grujic should take this move as an opportunity to work on his game and impress the manager to secure a substantial role in the squad for the upcoming season.
At the tender age of 22, Grujic is still in the developmental phase of his career and it would not have done him any good to have stayed at Anfield this term. With all due respect to his abilities, he would have simply made up the numbers in a squad packed with plenty of midfielders. Lack of game time would have hampered his progress as well.
Liverpool should have no issues with the central midfielder moving to a loan stint since it will allow the youngster to work on his flaws.
On the contrary, Hertha Berlin, who finished 10th in the Bundesliga last season, have every reason to be delighted over the Serbian’s arrival.
Standing at 6ft 3in, the lanky youngster has shown his ability to control the midfield. He looks comfortable with the ball at his feet and has a good range of passing. He can make crucial interceptions in the midfield and can be quite handy with his long-range shooting.
With his physicality and ball control, Grujic is capable of playing both attacking and defensive roles in the middle of the park, making him a true asset.
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Grujic has shown the potential to become Serbia’s next Nemanja Matic and this loan move will surely benefit the youngster as he needs regular game time to progress further. Liverpool must hope that the Serbian comes back fitter and stronger ahead of the new season.