Liverpool in talks with Swansea City and Wolfsburg over Lazar Markovic

Swansea City and Wolfsburg are in talks with Liverpool for out-of-favour attacker Lazar Markovic, who is available to leave Merseyside on either a permanent or loan deal before the close of the transfer window on Wednesday (31 January).

Markovic has never looked like building on the early promise that saw him earn a £20m move to Anfield from Benfica in the summer of 2014 and has not actually played for Jurgen Klopp's side for three years.

Loan spells to Sporting Lisbon, Fenerbahce and Hull City have failed to reignite the Serbian's career, but BBC Sport claim that Swansea, who recently earned a hard-fought 1-0 win over Liverpool, and Wolfsburg, who pilfered Divock Origi on a season-long loan from the Reds in the summer, are both hoping to conclude deals for the 23-year-old in the coming hours.

Markovic cost Liverpool £20m three-and-a-half years ago, but the Reds would presumably now be content with a paltry sum for the former Partizan Belgrade starlet, whose contract expires at the end of the next season.

Pressed about the rumours of a move for Markovic on Monday, Swansea boss Carlos Carvalhal said: "He is one more name to add to the 37 we have talked about since the beginning of the transfer window."

Former Sheffield Wednesday boss Carvalhal has been searching for fresh additions to his Swansea squad since the start of his tenure in late December, but the Portuguese has not seen any new players arrive in south Wales yet, with moves for the likes of Ryan Fredericks and Nico Gaitan failing to get off the ground.

A deal for Liverpool's Markovic is a distinct possibility, as is the departure of Spanish midfielder Roque Mesa, who returned to his homeland in order to force a move back to La Liga. The 28-year-old has failed to adapt to life in England since arriving from Las Palmas for around £11m in the summer, but Carvalhal insisted his exit is not a foregone conclusion.

"I don't know, it is not official so I can only talk about official things," Carvalhal said. "It is official he is not here. It is not official that he is leaving or he is staying. I am not going to comment on not official things."