Serb rules out Premier move

Markovic staying put despite Chelsea and Liverpool links

By Vlatko Siljanovski & Jure Bohoric.   Last Updated: February 20, 2012 10:12am

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

Sky Bet

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."