Friday, 11th May, 2012
Chelsea are believed to be in advanced negotiations over the capture of Partizan Belgrade wonderkid Lazar Markovic, according to German daily Bild.
The 18-year-old, dubbed the "new Stevan Jovetic", has been linked with the Champions League finalists throughout the season and in October admitted that "Chelsea is the club that I love the most, of course after Partizan."
Markovic has just helped Partizan to win the Serbian league title, while he also picked up the club’s Player of the Year award in recognition of his part in the side’s success.
Former Chelsea manager Avram Grant, who took charge of Partizan in January, would dearly love to be able to call upon the attacking midfielder for the club’s Champions League campaign next season, though that looks unlikely.
Chelsea have adopted a policy of snapping up young talents, with Belgian trio Thibaut Courtois, Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne all bought within the last 12 months.
And a successful swoop for Markovic would come as little surprise, even if he is under contract with Partizan until 2016, as a transfer fee of around €6M, along with a five-year contract, has been mooted.
It is a move the 18-year-old, who was recently capped at senior level for Serbia, would relish too.
"I believe that the best football is in England; that is a type of league that suits me", he said.
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