Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock has claimed that Marko Grujic is set to ‘stay put’ at Liverpool due to a contract issue.
The Premier League boss stated that the Bluebirds had cooled their interest in the 6ft 3in tall midfielder (Transfermarkt) despite having everything agreed in order to take the player on loan.
“Grujic looks like he will stay put… I think he would be better off here but it is a contract issue, I understand his point of view,” Warnock said, as quoted by BBC Sport.
“Liverpool have four competitions before Christmas and he can play in those without being named in the 25-man squad.
“I have missed out on a couple of targets waiting for him, it is disappointing as everything was agreed with Liverpool, but sometimes fate intervenes.”
The Daily Mirror previously reported that Grujic needed to sign a new contract with the Reds ahead of going out on loan for the 2018/19 campaign.
OPINION
It seems that Grujic might not be keen to pen a new Liverpool deal at this time based on Warnock’s comments with him perhaps wanting to be assured that he is seen as a player who will get opportunities at the club. However it seems foolish that his lack of desire to sign a new deal is going to stop him going out on loan in order to play some much needed regular Premier League football as it would aid his development dramatically. While Warnock suggests the midfielder could get a few games due to the Reds being in so many competitions, it’s isn’t enough for him to be kept at Anfield as his progress will stall. Grujic was believed to have not only Cardiff City but Crystal Palace, as reported by the Mail, interested in acquiring his services this summer so it’s weird to think that he might not get to regularly kick a ball in his 2018/19 campaign. The 22-year-old flourished while out on loan at the Bluebirds last season and it will be a shame if he loses all his momentum when it comes to improving as a player by staying put.
