Want a Lazar Markovic transfer rumour update? Of course you do. The Serbian media has been reporting that the Partizan Belgrade prodigy and life-long Blues fan has signed a pre-contract with Chelsea after being courted in London this January, and now we have a quote or two from Markovic himself:
Tačno je da sam bio u obilasku grada i stadiona, video se sa kolegom iz reprezentacije Branislavom Ivanovićem, upoznao ljude iz Čelsija, ali nisam potpisao ni ugovor, ni predugovor. Bilo mi je super tih dana, međutim, daleko od toga da je sve završeno.
-Source: Blic.
Google translate has that, surprisingly coherently, as:
It is true that I was on a tour of the city and the stadium video with teammate Branislav Ivanovic, met people from Chelsea, but I have not signed any contract or pre-contract. It was great in those days, however, is far from being all done.
Markovic has then confirmed that the story has some truth about it but is denying, for the moment, that a deal is done. However, it's difficult to see how he'd have been allowed to come to Stamford Bridge by Partizan if the two sides weren't at an advanced stage of talks and Partizan were expecting a sale. I'd guess that the deal is done and the parties are still focused on keeping it quiet for now.
But most of all I really want to see this supposed video with Branislav Ivanovic. I like to imagine that Bran was teaching him bear-wrestling techniques or something.