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Rotation is the current watchword at Liverpool.

Jurgen Klopp keeps on ringing the changes but one £20million signing remains firmly in the shadows at Melwood.

Lazar Markovic is there each day, going through the motions on the training ground, knowing there's more chance of Zeljko Buvac making a comeback than him getting a game.

It's a lonely existence for the Serbian winger, who last played a competitive fixture for the Reds more than two-and-a-half years ago.

Liverpool had hoped to draw a line under one of the most disastrous transfers in their history during last summer's window.

There was interest from the likes of Watford, Fiorentina and Zenit St Petersburg. However, no-one was willing to meet the £16million asking price or shell out on a loan fee and pay all his wages.

(Image: (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images))

Rather than back down and reduce their demands, Liverpool decided to dig their heels in.

Markovic stayed put. He was an unused sub for the League Cup tie at Leicester City in September and hasn't made a matchday squad since. He has had one solitary run-out for the club's under-23s.

Liverpool believe there will be more takers in January. Markovic did a job for Hull in the second half of last season and clubs battling against the drop will be similarly desperate for reinforcements.

(Image: (Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images))

Only time will tell whether financially the Reds made the right call or whether they would have been better off cutting their losses back in August.

Markovic's wages alone have cost them around £1million since he returned for pre-season in July.

Nice work if you can get it but Markovic's current plight is a sad state of affairs. It wasn't supposed to be like this.

When Markovic arrived at Anfield from Benfica in July 2014 he was the fifth most expensive signing in the club's history. The tributes were gushing.

Former Chelsea boss Avram Grant, who was his manager at Partizan Belgrade, said: “I can say that apart from Ronaldo and Messi, Markovic is one of the best talents I’ve ever seen at 19 years of age.”

Nemanja Matic, who played alongside him at Benfica, said: “It was excellent playing with this kid for six months. He has such massive potential that if he changed his attitude in training he could be one of Europe’s best players in his position. He’s young, he’ll mature, and then nobody will be able to stop him.”

Markovic was only 20 but already boasted decent experience. He had won two titles with Partizan before helping Benfica clinch a domestic treble.

He had also played in the Champions League for the Portuguese outfit and featured in their run to the Europa League final. Liverpool were returning to Europe's elite and needed more attacking options.

It was a complex deal to negotiate as Markovic was part owned by a players' investment fund connected to agent Pini Zahavi.

Markovic had long since been linked with a move to Chelsea. The Londoners had the option to buy him for around half what Liverpool were willing to pay but, significantly, they opted against doing so.

From the start, Markovic looked far too lightweight to cope with the physical demands of English football. He struggled to hold down a place in Brendan Rodgers' side.

It didn't help him that Liverpool were in a malaise following the heartache of missing out on the Premier League crown and the departure of Luis Suarez.

Markovic was harshly sent off against Basel in the Champions League before bagging the winner at Sunderland and getting a goal in the home win over Tottenham provided rare moments of delight for him.

(Image: PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images)

In total he made 23 starts and 11 substitute appearances for the Reds in 2014/15. Rodgers had seen enough. His patience had quickly evaporated.

Markovic has always argued that Rodgers gave up on him too easily and it's certainly the case that the Northern Irishman hadn't been the driving force behind bringing him to Anfield in the first place.

The Serbian was a transfer committee signing like Mamadou Sakho, Alberto Moreno and Roberto Firmino rather than one proposed by the manager himself.

In August 2015 Markovic was packed off to Fenerbahce on a season-long loan. Liverpool insisted it was simply to get him game time but it was a strange move as he would have benefited much more from staying in England.

After a bright start in Turkey, he was hampered by hamstring issues. By the time he returned to Melwood the following summer Klopp had taken over.

(Image: / AFP / ADEM ALTAN (Photo credit should read ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images))

His hopes of a fresh start were quickly dashed. Klopp was as underwhelmed as his predecessor and he was off-loaded to Sporting Lisbon on loan.

It didn't work out for him back in Portugal. He made only two league starts and all parties agreed to cut short his stay in January.

Klopp could have had him back at a time when Liverpool were short of wingers with Sadio Mane away at the Africa Cup of Nations. Damningly, the Reds boss happily sent him to Hull.

Markovic had something of a resurgence under Marco Silva at the KC Stadium. He scored twice in 12 league appearances but his chances of staying there disappeared when they were relegated.

(Image: (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images))

He was back at Melwood in July and played the second half of the opening friendly against Tranmere. He was guilty of a woeful miss late on when he blazed over with the net gaping and hasn't featured under Klopp since.

His last competitive outing for the Reds remains a late cameo in a win at QPR in May 2015. There won't be another one.

Still only 23, Markovic has time on his side. He could still restore his reputation elsewhere. But until January at least Anfield's forgotten man remains in limbo.

Few have cost so much and contributed so little. Markovic's name will sit alongside those of Mario Balotelli and Alberto Aquilani.