Serb rules out Premier move

Avram Grant: Not selling Lazar Markovic after he was linked with Chelsea and Liverpool

Serbian starlet Lazar Markovic insists he has no plans to leave Partizan Belgrade after being strongly linked with a move to England.

The 17-year-old has emerged as one of the most promising forwards in Europe and is already a first-team regular with Partizan.

Chelsea and Liverpool are both said to be lining up £10million-plus bids for the playmaker, but this has now been rubbished by the player and his manager Avram Grant.

Asked about the rumours of bids from England, Grant told Blic: "It is nonsense.

"There is nothing out of it. I am also in contact with Abramovich, so he would have told me. There are no such offers."

And Markovic was happy to confirm that his long-term future remains in Belgrade.

Staying

"I'm not interested in what is written about me in press. I will only be 18 in March and my plan is to stay at Partizan for the next three years until I'm 21 years old," he told Alo.

"For now I just want to enjoy my football, play without any extra pressure."

However, he did concede that he would one day like to play in England, adding: "Of course, it is my dream to play in one of the biggest leagues in Europe.

"But we will see what will happen in the next few years. I'm in no hurry."