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09th Dec 2018

Liverpool loanee hailed Hertha Berlin’s “best midfielder of the past 20 years”

Liverpool loanee Marko Grujic has been hailed Hertha Berlin's best midfielder of the past 20 years by manager Pal Dardai after a string of star performances

Reuben Pinder

High praise.

Liverpool’s unbeaten run continued on Saturday when Mo Salah fired the Reds to an emphatic 4-0 victory against Bournemouth. That win put them top of the Premier League and Chelsea’s win over Manchester City ensured that they will stay there for at least a week. Anfield is a happy place right now.

And Liverpool fans were given even more reason to celebrate by Hertha Berlin manager Pal Dardai, who described Marko Grujic as “the best midfielder we’ve had in 20 years”.

The praise came after Grujic scored a towering header for the Berlin club to beat Eintracht Frankfurt at the Olympiastadion, sealing back to back wins.

In just his seventh appearance for the Bundesliga club, Dardai spoke in glowing terms about the Serbian midfielder after a dominant performance.

“Marko is the best midfielder we have had in the last 20 years. The club is doing everything to make it last longer,” the manager told reporters after the game – a very humble admission from the man who played in midfield for Hertha for 14 years.

Grujic has become one of Hertha’s most important and most popular players already, with centre-back Fabian Lustenberger telling herthabsc.de that “Marko has everything: offensive quality, defensive stability, strength and footballing ability.”

“You often talk about a complete player and you need a lot to fulfil all the criteria as a central midfielder. We are glad that he is fit with us and again,” Lustenberger said.

Unfortunately for them, he is only on a season-long loan from Liverpool. However, given the competition to break into Liverpool’s midfield – Naby Keita is struggling for starts – don’t be surprised to see Grujic make the move permanent come the summer.

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