Serbian midfielder Marko Grujic has the ability to shine for Liverpool in 2016/17, believes Jurgen Klopp‘s assistant, Peter Krawietz.
Krawietz recently signed a new six-year deal at Liverpool along with Klopp and fellow assistant Zeljko Buvac, continuing his analytical role alongside his long-standing colleagues.
Like Klopp, the 44-year-old is a proponent of trusting youth at an early stage, and watching Grujic impress for the Reds against Fleetwood Town on Wednesday night, he wasn’t surprised by his dominant display.
Grujic signed in a £5.1 million deal in January, and Krawietz has explained how he, Buvac and Klopp have high expectations for the former Red Star Belgrade man.
“We are very, very optimistic. Not [only] since Wednesday, because we knew him before of course,” he told LFCTV.
“He has had a good start and this is the point from where we can start to work with him and develop improvement with him.
“He has the possibility to play in different positions in midfield.
“He is a young player; he still has to adapt to the Premier League and our style of play.
“We know you need strong players and tall players—a mixture for Premier League football.
“He has every possibility to adapt quickly.”
It is Grujic’s physicality and flexibility that give him the opportunity to progress swiftly under Klopp and his backroom staff at Liverpool.
His goalscoring display against Fleetwood, though only against League One opposition in a pre-season friendly, suggested he would be capable of blending in with the likes of Emre Can and Jordan Henderson in 2016/17.
Grujic served as a box-to-box midfielder at Highbury Stadium, as with much of his career at Red Star, but is also comfortable in the No. 10 role.
The Serbia international highlighted his ability to test the goalkeeper through Wednesday night’s 5-0 victory, and mixing this attacking sensibility with defensive steel is invaluable.
Standing at 6’3″, Grujic’s height was likely a key factor behind Klopp making him his first permanent signing since becoming Liverpool manager in October.
Already boasting the build required to thrive in a physical footballing landscape, Krawietz clearly believes Grujic has the mindset to do so, too.
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