Mitch Freeley

Former Liverpool midfielder Lazar Marković has hailed current boss Jurgen Klopp as "something special" as Liverpool look set to end a thirty-year wait to win the league. Liverpool has yet to taste defeat domestically and are now just six victories away from winning a first Premier League crown in record time. 

Marković 25, joined Liverpool in 2014 and enjoyed some playing time under Brendan Rodgers before loan moves to Fenerbahce, Sporting Lisbon, a Premier League return with Hull City and finally Anderlecht before leaving Liverpool in the summer of 2019.

Now, the midfielder who had commanded a £20 million fee when he moved from Benfica to Merseyside is back with his first club Partizan Belgrade looking to get his career back on track. 

Partizan, who took on Manchester United in this seasons Europa League have been in Qatar for winter training playing Russian sides Lokomotiv Moscow, Spartak Moscow and FC Rostov in the Match Premier Cup. 

"Everything is professional, we like it here and so far it's so good. The stadiums are super the pitches are so good so for us, it's perfect here we like it" noted Marković when asked about the facilities at the Aspire Zone which has been the base for the Serbian side for the last ten days. 

Widely considered to be one of the most gifted players of his generation in Serbia, Marković burst onto the scene with Partizan at the age of sixteen as a flying winger. Three seasons with his home club saw Benfica win the race to sign the talented teenager before Liverpool made their move after just one season in Liga Nos. 

What followed was a series of loan moves with a host of different clubs with Marković never really getting a consistent run of first-team football. Now at the age of 25, the Serbian international is looking to reboot his career at home, before eyeing a move to the Premier League or even a side in Qatar. 

"I would like to come back to the Premier League, but I don't know maybe Italy or somewhere maybe Qatar, who knows."

Talk turns to the new winter break that will be implemented in the Premier League from this weekend. After playing for sides in Portugal, Turkey and Serbia who all have extensive breaks over winter Marković admitted that the move from the authorities would only benefit the players. 

"You need to have a break because it's so many games it's tough to play three cups, the Champions League, and the Premier League it will be good for the players there."

The winter break has caused controversy for his former club Liverpool, with Jurgen Klopp insisting on playing a U23 side in the FA Cup replay against Shrewsbury. Thankfully the youngsters got the better of the league one team, to set up a fifth-round clash with Liverpool with a 1-0 victory. 

"I think Klopp knows very well what he is doing, as you can see they are first and 100% they will win the title, so I agree with him" added Marković when asked on Klopp's decision to use the kids and to rest his first-team stars. 

Despite looking back with frustration on his time with Liverpool Marković admitted that he keeps an eye out for the results of his former side.

"I support them of course when I have time, I had a contract for many years with them and of course, I will always watch them."

Finally Marković handed special praise to Brendan Rodgers and Jurgen Klopp who he worked with whilst on Merseyside.

"Both are top coaches, you can see with Brendan at Leicester and you can see with Jurgen he is something special."

You can hear more from Lazar Marković in the video above.