With Bobby Reid and Alex Smithies through the door, attention must now surely turn to the centre of the pitch. With the loss of two loanees, plus question marks over Aron Gunnarsson‘s future at the club, it’s an area that City look light in.
One man who could solve that problem is Marko Grujic, the Liverpool midfielder who played his football in South Wales during the second half of last season. Cardiff have been strongly linked with another loan deal for Grujic, whose Serbia side crashed out of the World Cup yesterday.
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We get the views of a Liverpool fan and a Cardiff fan on Grujic’s potential return to the Cardiff City Stadium.
Henry Jackson, This is Anfield, Liverpool fan
“It’s tricky to gauge just how good Grujic is, considering he has only made 14 appearances for Liverpool. Things started so well for him after a brilliant header in a pre-season friendly thrashing of Barcelona two years ago, but he has struggled since. Better, more experienced midfielders have kept him out of the team and he has also struggled with injuries. When he has played it is clear to see what he offers. He is a big physical presence – 6ft 3in – who covers ground well, snaps into tackles and uses the ball efficiently. There are definite comparisons to be drawn with Emre Can, which is both good and bad. He can be a little on the reckless side. Grujic certainly isn’t the finished article but I could imagine him thriving in a Neil Warnock side, as long as he is given a consistent run. He feels like someone who will only shine if he is playing regularly.”
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Scott Salter, View From The Ninian, Cardiff City fan
“We’ve done some really good business so far this off-season, but the centre of the park is a real pressing area for me. I’d be a big fan of Marko Grujic joining again on loan – I think he really impressed last season.
I think it’s clear that Grujic won’t be in Jurgen Klopp’s plans next season, but the talent is obvious. Another loan move, this time in the Premier League, certainly makes sense for all parties.
Grujic definitely brought a bit of class to an otherwise industrious Cardiff midfield last season. If you can have one criticism of City, it’s that we often struggle to string a succession of passes together. Despite his big, physical presence, Grujic was comfortable on the ball and did well in slowing the play down for us and recycling possession.
Although he dropped out of the starting eleven towards the end of the season, it’s obvious that Warnock is a fan. I think a full pre-season under Warnock, Blackwell and Jepson, Grujic could be crucial for us next year.”
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