Liverpool winger Lazar Markovic set for loan move to Hull City

Liverpool winger Lazar Markovic is set to cut short his season-long loan spell at Sporting Lisbon after struggling to get playing time in Portugal, according to reports.

But the Liverpool Echo says the Serbia international will not be returning to Anfield and that he could be sent out on loan again to Premier League strugglers Hull City.

Hull manager Marco Silva is reported to be an admirer of the 22-year-old and Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is willing to sanction a loan move for the player. Both clubs are currently holding talks over a deal.

The Echo claims that Sporting are desperate to offload Markovic but that there is no break clause in his season-long loan deal.

As a result, both Liverpool and Sporting – along with Markovic himself – will have to agree on cutting the deal short.

The Serbian winger has only started two league games for Sporting this season and has not featured for the Portuguese club since December.

Markovic was signed for £20m ($25m) from Benfica by former Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers in the summer of 2014.

He spent the 2015/16 season and loan at Fenerbahce and reported to pre-season training for Liverpool last summer, but failed to convince Klopp.

The winger sealed a loan move to Sporting on deadline day of the summer transfer window.

Klopp praised Markovic's attitude and work ethic in August but suggested that it was difficult to allot a place for him in his Liverpool squad.

"He's in good shape. I'm not sure where his 100% is, but he's in a good way and he's a nice lad, good boy, funny, works hard. That's the truth," the German coach was reported as saying by the Echo.

"But at the end we have to see how we will build our squad. We have time between now and 31 August where maybe something will happen.

"At this moment we need all these players for the games and for our training sessions, and he is part of it. That's all for now."