Lazar Markovic to Hull City: Latest Loan Transfer Details, Comments, Reaction

Liverpool winger Lazar Markovic has joined Hull City on loan for the remainder of the 2016-17 season.

Liverpool's official website confirmed the transaction on Monday. Markovic spent the first part of the campaign with Sporting CP, although his agreement came to a premature end in January, as he made just two league starts for the Portuguese club. 

Prior to his arrival at Anfield from Benfica in 2014, Markovic was rated as one of the hottest prospects in European football.

At the Estadio da Luz, he was a dazzling presence on the flanks who troubled opponents with his pace, trickery and quality with both feet. When Liverpool landed him, it was considered a significant coup.

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During his first season at Anfield, the Serb showed some flashes while also displaying a willingness to adapt his game when former boss Brendan Rodgers utilised him as a wing-back. However, Markovic found consistency difficult to come by and was never able to cement his place as a starter.

In 2015-16, Markovic spent the year on loan at Fenerbahce, and although he struggled for game time, he produced some excellent moments, as we can see here:

He made just 10 starts in the Turkish Super Lig, as a persistent hamstring problem limited his playing time. Subsequently, his development continued to stagnate. 

Portuguese football expert Jan Hagen agreed the Serb was enduring a problematic campaign in Lisbon prior to seeing his stay cut short:

After he returned to Anfield and worked under Reds manager Jurgen Klopp for the first time in the summer, Liverpool decided to move Markovic on loan once again.

Football writer Richard Buxton pointed out that Markovic wasn't the only Merseyside-based player to benefit from a loan move this season, although it's yet to be seen how much the Tigers will benefit:

Prior to Markovic's move to Lisbon, Klopp had some positive words to say about the 22-year-old. "I'm not sure where his 100 per cent is, but he's in a good way, and he's a nice lad, good boy, funny, works hard," the German said, per Neil Jones of the Liverpool Echo. "That's the truth."

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Markovic needs to do more with the opportunities he's afforded, but since leaving Benfica, he's yet to receive a consistent run of games in his preferred position.

Hull manager Marco Silva will be hopeful of giving the Serb just that at the KCOM Stadium, and the Tigers will be aware that Markovic has plenty of talent.

While there may be no room for him at Anfield at the moment, with some patience, he can make a big impact for his new employers between now and the end of the season.