Dejan Lovren’s five-year spell at Liverpool could be coming to an end soon, if the words of The Times’ Northern Football Correspondent Paul Joyce are to be believed.
He tweeted that Roma were in talks with the Merseysiders over a possible £15m deal for the Croatia defender, with Lovren aware that he has fallen down the centre-back pecking order under Jurgen Klopp.
AS Roma in talks with Liverpool over transfer of Dejan Lovren. Deal possible and asking price around £15m now. Lovren recognises he’s fourth choice.
— paul joyce (@_pauljoyce) August 13, 2019
Lovren has played 170 times for Liverpool since joining them from Southampton in 2014 but has fallen out of favour somewhat in recent months.
He played in 20 or more Premier League games in each of his first four campaigns at Anfield but only made 13 league appearances in 2018/19 and featured just 18 times in total last season.
He was an unused substitute in the Community Shield against Manchester City but did not make the matchday squad for last Friday’s Premier League opener against Norwich.
If Lovren was to complete a move away from Anfield, that would leave Klopp with just three senior centre-backs in Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez – and the latter spent four months out injured last season following a leg fracture.
These Liverpool fans expressed their fears about the possible departure of Lovren on Twitter, feeling that it would leave the Reds very short on defensive cover:
https://twitter.com/NDK8A/status/1161198235723194369
https://twitter.com/_RyanSmith95/status/1161198744999813120
With Gomez's injury record, I'd keep him..
— Viremic (@Viremiic) August 13, 2019
https://twitter.com/ohcampionelfc/status/1161198268946235392
No we need to keep him. We should have bought anyone as experienced as him if they want to sell him..
— Muhamed Imran (@MuhdImrann) August 13, 2019
Feels like Klopp always is loyal to his players and will sell to satisfy their desire to leave. Feel very exposed in defence with only 3 cbs 1 rb and 1 lb plus midfielders who can cover and the kids
— Emlyn (@honiara64) August 13, 2019
Big mistake! When you consider all the competitions #LFC are in this season we’ll need as many proven players as possible.
— Martin Elis (@MartinElisParry) August 13, 2019
Much needed squad player, with injuries prone to other key central defenders, what happens next? There is a copious amount of games to get through, all players needed. #justsaying
— Mart (@Bricktoplfc) August 13, 2019
