Grujic has sights set on a big Reds role
ONE name that has linked Cardiff City with this weekend’s opponents Liverpool for the past 10 months or so is midfielder Marko Grujic.
Look through the pictures after the Bluebirds’ promotion in May and you’ll see a smiling Grujic loving every minute of the celebrations.
He even flew back from Serbia to attend the parade a week after the season’s final day, despite being a loan player. Grujic made 13 appearances for Cardiff in the crucial Championship run-in last season, scoring once against Barnsley.
Such was the impression he made in south Wales, the Bluebirds were heavily linked with another loan move in the summer. It was the saga that would seemingly never end.
Neil Warnock made his feelings very clear on numerous occasions – that he wanted the 22-year-old for another season.
Everyone knows that the loan swoop never materialised, but Liverpool and their head of loans Julian Ward had positive discussions with Cardiff and, bar Grujic’s participation in the World Cup, the move probably would have gone through. Jurgen Klopp and the Reds were always keen on the idea of Grujic playing Premier League football with Cardiff.
But, with Grujic returning later than usual after the World Cup, the midfielder wanted some time to work with Klopp at Liverpool’s Melwood training facility. He ended up playing in pre-season games against Torino and Manchester City for the Reds.
When that time elapsed, Cardiff’s hierarchy led by Warnock and Ken Choo, were still confident of securing the move.
But when a genuine interest emerged from the Bundesliga, in the shape of Hertha Berlin, Grujic wanted to explore it. As well as Cardiff, Crystal Palace, Middlesbrough, CSKA Moscow and Lyon had all shown interest in a loan.
Klopp was also said to have been instrumental in the decision that Hertha was the best place for the midfielder to continue his progress – the German boss having intimate knowledge of the Bundesliga. Liverpool also turned down permanent offers from Italian clubs for Grujic as they see him as a long- term option in central midfield.
But Grujic is still said to look back fondly on his time with the Bluebirds, with the promotion push a very positive experience for the 22-year-old.
Although Warnock was left with a bad taste in the mouth – and left sweating until deadline day to secure loan moves for midfielders Harry Arter and Victor Camarasa – there are no bad feelings between the camps.
In any case, the Cardiff midfield looks reasonably well stocked with Arter and Camarasa impressing so far. Grujic is currently sidelined by an ankle injury after making a good start in Germany.