14 April 2023 , 13:02
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Manchester United are keen on the idea of signing Marko Grujic - but might come unstuck given the Serbian's ties to former side Liverpool.
Grujic currently plies his trade with Portuguese outfit Porto, where he has impressed a number of other sides across the continent. The midfielder has already been approached by two sides, one of whom is thought to be Serie A titans AC Milan, while the other is Erik ten Hag's United, as per Serbian outlet Telegraf.
The 27-year-old only joined Porto permanently last year for a fee of £10.25million, but had actually been at the Estadio Dragao for two seasons prior on loan from United's fierce rivals Liverpool. Grujic was brought to Anfield in 2016, as the first signing of the Jurgen Klopp-era.
He has established himself as one of the most important players in the Porto side, with the club's three league defeats all coming while Grujic was out of the team.
It is thought that United are a fan of the ex-Reds star's versatility, given he is able to be deployed on the right, through the centre and as a defensive midfielder.
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Those at the top of the United hierarchy may wince at Grujic's output, as the Serbia international has just one goal and assists in 30 league outings so far this term.
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Marko Grujic made just 16 appearances for Liverpool's first team but is now being linked with Man UnitedThat tally is the same as his entire return at Liverpool, though he only managed 16 appearances for the six-time European champions.
The Porto ace has previously waxed lyrical over the help he received while in the red half of Merseyside, even if he did fall short on the pitch in terms of meeting expectations.
Speaking to the Athletic in 2021, Grujic explained: "I would say my career at Liverpool was successful, not in terms of games played or what I achieved for the club, but I certainly left Liverpool as a much better player than when I first arrived.
"I learned so much from the senior players at Liverpool about the sacrifices you have to make off the pitch to fulfil your full potential. That professionalism and dedication in terms of how you should live your life is something I certainly took with me.
"I'll stick to that for the rest of my career. Of course, I would have loved to play more but I'll always be grateful for the education I got at Liverpool."
Grujic still has three years left to run on his Porto contract, meaning United would have to fork out a sizeable sum to bring him to Old Trafford, providing they can persuade him to burn his bridges at Anfield.