Did you think the Javier Pastore or David Luiz transfer sagas were long and confusing? Compared to the Lazar Markovic deal, those were cakewalks. Benfica have announced that they've signed the Serbian winger to a five-year contract, directly contradicting reports from Partizan Belgrade this morning that the 19-year-old had signed with Chelsea and was going to be loaned out to the Eagles for two years.
I have no idea what's going on. This is the single most bizarre transfer I've ever seen, and I have no idea what's real and what isn't. Benfica can't sign Markovic to a contract unless they own him, which precludes a loan. Partizan's President probably wouldn't say that Chelsea own Markovic unless they actually do own him. Did Chelsea sign him ages ago and sell him? That's ruled out by Benfica's claim that they bought him from Partizan? Is someone lying? Yes, or they're horrendously misinformed. But I have no idea which side is right and which is wrong.