Everton has joined the race for Red Star Belgrade’s Marko Grujic, reports the Daily Mail.
The 19-year-old has attracted interest from a number of Premier League clubs with Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United all interested in him.
Clubs outside of the Premier League are also said to be interested in the midfielder with Celtic, Anderlecht, Stuttgart, Roma and Ajax monitoring his situation.
But it appears Everton have climbed above these clubs as Kevin Reeves, the club’s chief scout, has not only been to see him play but he’s also made enquiries for his signature.
The Serbian international also revealed Nemanja Matic told him Chelsea were interested in signing him, but it seems he wants to stay to at least the end of the season.
“Nemanja Matic is a friend, he’s Serbian and he has been at Chelsea for over a year. He tells me that they want me.”
“Right now I am at Red Star, we are top of the table and I want to win the title here. I don’t think that I’ll be moving in January, but there’s definitely more of a chance in June.”
A value of £4.5million has been placed on Grujic although no official offers have been tabled, as of yet.
The Red Star academy graduate made his real breakthrough into the first team just this season after playing on a dual registration with lower-tier club FK Kolubara.
He’s played 16 of Red Star’s 17 games this season, scoring four times. They currently sit unbeaten at the top of the Serbian SuperLiga, 16 points clear of second place.
There was interest in the summer where Hamburger SV tabled a bid, although a week later he signed a new contract with the club until 2018.
Interest is high in Marko Grujic and Everton will do well to fend off the competition.
