From Klopp to Klinsmann and back again? Grujic not giving up on Liverpool dream

In an exclusive interview, the on-loan Hertha Berlin midfielder talks about trying to impress two different Jurgens and his role models at Anfield

Marko Grujic puffs his cheeks out, his eyes widening.

“So good, wow!” he says. “So, so good.”

He is talking about ’s midfield. About Jordan Henderson and Fabinho. Gini Wijnaldum and James Milner.

“Role models,” he calls them. Players to admire and to learn from.

Players that, if he wants to become a Reds regular, he needs to not only match, but surpass.

It is four years this week since Grujic became Jurgen Klopp’s first signing as Liverpool manager. He was 19 at the time, playing and shining for , his home-town club. Having been loaned back, his final act was to help them clinch the Serbian league championship.

He left dreaming of starring at Anfield, of showcasing his talent in the Premier League.

Four years and 14 Reds appearances on, those dreams remain.

“I still hope for that, of course,” Grujic tells Goal. “You can’t just give up on your goals.

“In fact, I’m probably working harder now than I’ve ever done before in my life.”

Grujic had plenty of options once it emerged Liverpool were willing to loan him out last summer. made a strong pitch, as did . , ’s surprise package, were also keen.

In the end, the choice was one of continuity. Grujic had spent the previous campaign with and found a club – and a city – where he could settle.

“I love it here,” he says. “I have been very lucky in my career to experience some beautiful cities: Belgrade, Liverpool and now Berlin.

“From the first minute I came to Hertha, I felt very welcome. I am very settled here.”

Grujic recently bought an apartment near the city’s iconic Tiergarten, and can regularly be found in his local Italian restaurant. His only complaint, he says, is the traffic.

On the pitch, his form has, by his own admission, been patchy. Hertha endured a difficult start to the season, with coach Ante Covic losing his job in November.

His replacement is a man who needs no introduction to football fans the world over. Jurgen Klinsmann’s last club role was at , more than a decade ago, but his arrival has brought new optimism to Hertha.

His first game, a home defeat to , brought a capacity crowd to the Olympiastadion, and since then there have been two wins, two draws and three clean sheets. Hertha went into the winter break 12th in the table, having been in the bottom three after that Dortmund loss.

“It was a difficult start,” Grujic admits. “We lost some games and, as a young team, our confidence dropped. But we knew if we could continue to work hard, we could improve our position.”

One of Klinsmann’s first acts was to tell Grujic he would play a key role; that the team would be set up to bring the best out of this powerful, yet subtle, midfielder.

“Of course, it’s exciting,” he smiles. “Two Jurgen Ks as your two managers, eh?! They’re both big names, and it is big for me to work under such coaches.

“He (Klinsmann) is a proper legend in . He was very positive when he came in and gave me a lot of confidence, so to be able to learn from him and work under him is an honour.”

As for Klopp, he remains in regular contact. Grujic knows that if he performs well, there will be a WhatsApp message coming his way.

“It sounds small,” he says, “but for a young player it means a lot, believe me.”

Beyond that, his main contact at Liverpool comes via Julian Ward, the club’s loan pathways and football partnerships manager. It is Ward who liaises with the player, with Hertha and with Klopp and Michael Edwards, Liverpool’s sporting director, in order to accurately gauge his progress.

And, if needed, Grujic can count on advice from head of fitness and conditioning Andreas Kornmayer or head of nutrition Mona Nemmer.

It all adds to the feeling that, though he might be 900 miles away, he remains very much in the club’s thoughts. Even if, as he freely admits himself, he has a lot to do if he’s to become a first-team regular at Anfield.

“I know it’s going to be tough,” he says. “I’m not stupid. I know that Liverpool right now are an unbelievable team, the best team in the world. So, I know that I have to be at a very high level if I want to have a chance.

“That’s why I watch as many of their games as I can, to learn and to see the level. I know improvement is the only thing that can help me.

“And it’s why I could accept that I needed to go somewhere to play regularly this season. I needed minutes, I needed to learn the game, when to defend, when to attack, where to be on the pitch. I want to improve every part of my game.

“Defending is a big part, because when you look at Liverpool, they defend like hell! Every player is fighting for every inch of the pitch, which is so impressive. Sometimes I get tired just watching them!

“Jordan, Gini, Fab, Milner – they are all huge role models for a player like me. The job they do is so underrated, and their levels are so high. They play with such intensity, every game. That is what I have to aspire to.

"Next season, who knows, hopefully I am ready to jump up with the team. That is what I hope for.”

Grujic was in Madrid when Liverpool were crowned European champions back in June, though an early flight meant he missed the subsequent celebrations.

“I had a video chat with Dejan Lovren from the party, though,” he reveals, “so I got to experience a bit of the atmosphere at least!

“And just being there before the game, that was so special. The whole city was red.”

Was it difficult, then, to head out on loan once more a few weeks later, to turn his back on the chance to be part of further success this season?

“No,” he says, firmly. "It would be easy to get frustrated and wonder why you are out on loan, but I don’t see it that way.

“We are talking about the best team in the world, don’t forget. And they expect to win every game. Their standard is as high as it can be, and not every player can be there right away.

“There are some great young players, such as Trent or Joe Gomez, who can do it, but others have to get there in a different way.

“I look at Harry Wilson, an unbelievable player, and myself quite similarly. We are striving to get to that level, but we needed to go and play football to do it. It doesn’t just happen overnight.

“It’s better for me, at this age, to be playing. If I am 25 or 26, then yes, it’s time for me to see if I am a rotation player at Liverpool or whatever.

"But, at 23, I have to make an impact, I have to learn. I have to play regularly, I have to test myself, learn about my body, what it can handle. It’s about finding out who I am, what kind of player I am.”

The journey continues, then. The Bundesliga season resumes later this month, and Hertha, with Klinsmann in the dugout and Grujic in midfield, are looking up rather than down.

And back on Merseyside, the other Jurgen K will be watching on with interest.

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