Liverpool is one of England’s most historic clubs, backed by one of the most passionate fan bases in the world. The anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone” has become an enduring symbol of Anfield and the club’s proud legacy. Over more than 130 years of history, three Serbian players have had the honor of wearing the famous red shirt. Here’s a closer look at their time with the Reds.
MILAN JOVANOVIC
The first Serbian to play for Liverpool was Milan “Lane” Jovanovic. After impressive performances for Belgian side Standard Liège and the Serbian national team — which, under coach Radomir Antić, qualified for the 2010 World Cup ahead of France — Jovanović became the first Serbian to join the Anfield side. His transfer was made official on July 8, 2010.
Milan Jovanovic is not only the worst forward/striker Liverpool have ever had he might be the worst footballer of all time https://t.co/B0o7M509Ij pic.twitter.com/Ely16mvPTX
— Ronan (@rln99_LFC) April 13, 2023
Although expectations were high, Jovanović spent just one season at the club. In 18 appearances, he scored two goals, though none came in the Premier League. The arrival of Kenny Dalglish as manager marked the end of his Liverpool chapter. In August 2011, he moved to Anderlecht, where he retired two years later.
LAZAR MARKOVIC
Strong performances for Benfica earned Lazar Markovic a move to Liverpool in the summer of 2014. The £20 million transfer fee made it clear that Liverpool had big plans for the Serbian winger.
#OTD in 2014:
20-year-old Serbian winger Lazar Markovic signs for Liverpool from Benfica for £19.8m pic.twitter.com/YVnosc0WW0— Liverpool On This Day (@OnThisDayReds) July 17, 2024
In his debut season, Marković made 34 appearances and scored 3 goals. However, a red card in the final Champions League group stage match and a dip in form caused him to fall out of favor. What followed were loan spells at Fenerbahçe, Sporting CP, Hull City, and Anderlecht. In January 2019, he left Liverpool permanently to join Fulham, where he played just one match.
MARKO GRUJIC
Marko Grujic became the first Serbian player to move directly from the Serbian SuperLiga to Liverpool. Then-manager Jürgen Klopp personally sent his assistant Zeljko Buvač to Belgrade to negotiate with the young midfielder. The deal was completed, and Grujić made his debut for Liverpool on August 20, 2016.
Marko Grujic remember your roots pic.twitter.com/sODcopCFnm
— iulian 🇷🇴 (@iulianlfc) March 12, 2024
He was officially a Liverpool player from 2016 to 2020, making 16 appearances and scoring one goal in the EFL Cup. During this period, he spent time on loan at Cardiff City (2017–18) and Hertha BSC (2018–2020). Another loan followed at FC Porto in October 2020, before the Portuguese side made the move permanent the following season.
Stefan Bajcetic
Lastly, we have Stefan Bajcetic, a young Spanish international of Serbian descent. The son of former Red Star Belgrade player Srdjan Bajcetic, Stefan was born on October 22, 2004, in Vigo, Spain, during his father’s time at Celta Vigo. He joined Liverpool’s academy from Celta in December 2020 for £224,000.
El cambio físico de Stefan Bajcetic.
Le tengo fe al pibe pic.twitter.com/GmhUdGmtB7
— Liverpool FC Latam (@LiverpoolLatam) September 10, 2025
At just 17 years old, Bajčetić made his first-team debut and quickly earned a starting spot. At 18 years, 2 months, and 4 days, he became the third-youngest goalscorer in Liverpool’s Premier League history, behind only Michael Owen and Raheem Sterling. Across the 2022–23 and 2023–24 seasons, he made 22 appearances and scored one goal. His rise was interrupted by an injury in March 2023, after which Liverpool loaned him to Red Bull Salzburg and later Las Palmas to gain experience.
Featured image: Modified from original image by jorono via Pixabay.
