Former Liverpool prospect Lazar Markovic, once compared to football legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, has become a free agent once again. The 32-year-old Serbian winger left Cypriot club Apollon Limassol after his one-year contract expired.
From High Hopes to Free Agency
Markovic joined Liverpool from Benfica in 2014 for £20 million under manager Brendan Rodgers, carrying immense promise. Former Premier League boss Avram Grant, who worked with Markovic at Partizan Belgrade, famously said, "I can say that apart from Ronaldo and Messi, Markovic is one of the best talents I've ever seen at 19 years of age."
Despite the lofty comparisons, Markovic managed only three goals in 34 senior appearances for Liverpool over five years. He was loaned to Fenerbahce, Sporting CP, Hull City, and Anderlecht before joining Fulham on a free transfer in January 2019.
Career After Liverpool
After a brief stint at Fulham, Markovic returned to Partizan Belgrade in 2019, enjoying a resurgence over three seasons. He then moved to Gaziantep in 2022, followed by loans to Trabzonspor and a season at Baniyas in the UAE, before his latest spell at Apollon Limassol.
At Limassol, Markovic contributed two goals and two assists in 22 appearances, helping the team finish third in the Cypriot First Division. His next move will mark the sixth free transfer of his career if he continues playing.
Teammate Praise
Despite his struggles, former Liverpool teammate Kolo Toure praised Markovic's character in 2014, saying, "Since he came here, he hasn't had a lot of chances to play, but he's shown great character and worked hard in training. He is a great boy, works hard, is very quick and technically is very, very good."
Markovic's career trajectory serves as a reminder of the unpredictability of football, where even talents compared to the greatest can face unexpected paths.
