Liverpool stuck with Lazar Markovic after transfer collapses

Lazar Markovic’s proposed transfer to Anderlecht collapsed last night due to the forward’s wage demands.

Both Goal and the Liverpool Echo report that a £2.9million fee had been agreed for Markovic between the two clubs and the player flew to Belgium to finalise the deal.

Liverpool have always accepted they would have to take a hit on the player they signed for £20million from Benfica in the summer of 2014, but the Reds were happy to sell him with a 50 per cent sell-on clause in the deal.

However, the deal never went through, despite Markovic turning down a transfer to Greek side PAOK, because Markovic could not agree personal terms.

The deal was called off before the deadline and Markovic will return to Liverpool with very little chance of getting into Jurgen Klopp’s first-team squad.

Markovic is now into the final year of his contract after spending the second half of last season on loan at Anderlecht – scoring one goal in eight appearances.

Markovic, who has spent loan spells with Hull, Sporting and Fenerbahce, scored a total of three goals in 34 appearances in 2014-15 season for the Reds, but he could never get into Klopp’s plans after the departure of Brendan Rodgers.