Why Liverpool should offload Dejan Lovren in the summer
As per Laziosiamonoi.it (h/t The Express), a host of Serie A clubs are interested in signing Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren, whose contract at Anfield expires at the end of the next season.
Lovren, 30, came through the ranks of Dinamo Zagreb and became an integral part of the club before moving to France with Lyon. He made a perfect start to his career in the Premier League with Southampton in the 2013/14 season and was signed by Liverpool after a year with the Saints.
He was a key component in the Reds’ squad in his first four years at the club, helping them reach the finals of the Europa League in the 2014/15 season. But in the past few years, he has not been up to the mark and has lost his place under Jurgen Klopp.
Even after reaching the finals of the World Cup with Croatia and the 2017/18 Champions League final, Lovren couldn’t claim the spot for himself. The presence of Joel Matip and Virgil van Dijk has seen him receive limited game time.
The former Lyon man struggled with fitness earlier in the campaign and in his absence, Joe Gomez formed a wonderful partnership with the Dutchman. However, Lovren got his fair share of games but was at fault for Liverpool’s unbeaten streak that came to an end at Vicarage Road in late February.
The 30-year-old has not been convincing since his return from injury. He was also not included in both the games against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League round of 16. And his importance for the club has fallen.
Klopp’s men have been brilliant so far, extending their lead to 25 points atop the Premier League. They are on course to claim the trophy for the first time in 30 years. However, they have missed out on all the other competitions in recent weeks.
Therefore, the manager should strengthen the key areas, where they have lacked quality and depth. To do that, the Reds need to sell some of their fringe players and make way for new signings. In that case, Dejan Lovren should be offloaded at the end of the season.
Going by the £100k-a-week star’s recent performances, it is clear that the Croatian international would only remain behind Van Dijk, Matip and Gomez in the pecking order. In this case, Liverpool would be wasting their resources on a benched player.
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Verdict
Lovern is already 30 and seems to be reaching the twilight of his career. He also has just one more year left in his contract with the club and his persistent injuries may not help him play at a high level consistently.
Therefore, Liverpool should look to sell the Croatian in the summer and bring in reinforcements to add quality and depth to the squad.
