Liverpool are set to sell Dejan Lovren this summer, and Zenit St. Petersburg are the club interested in signing the Croatia international.
Lovren has been with the Reds since 2014 but is fit to pass in search of normal first-team football.
The 31-year-old is Joe Gomez and Joel Matip in Anfield’s pecking order and has made just 15 appearances in all competitions this season. His last debut was at Watford in February, when Jurgen Klopp’s side were beaten for the first time in the Premier League.
Liverpool is aware of the interest of several clubs, Zenit being strong.
Reports in Russia have even warned that Lovren may just be a loose transfer, he still has one year left on his contract with the Reds. Goal, however, understands that this will not be the case and that Liverpool will be hunting. out of fees for the former Southampton player.
Roma is a club he has been linked to, having tried to sign him on loan last year, while there have also been requests from at least two Premier League clubs in the past six months.
Speaking to Sky Sports in June, Lovren admitted he had struggled to settle for the fourth team under Klopp.
“It was a check for me,” he said. But in those moments, I think you stay even more with the team, to show your quality even if you are not on the court with the first XI. “The next day in training you have to give everything, just to respect your teammates.
“Of course it’s not the happiest moment when I see myself on the bench, but it’s the coach’s decision. I respect her and I’m the guy who’s going to paint 200% behind closed doors.
“It’s a component of football. If only 20 players can play, it would be good, but there are only 11 places. Whoever is in better shape will play and that’s fair enough. “
If Lovren leaves, he would leave Liverpool alone with central defence options. Matip and Gomez have shared duties alongside Virgil van Dijk this season, but have a history of injuries: Matip is out for the rest of this crusade with a foot problem. For example.
The Reds signed two promising young Dutchmen, Ki-Jana Hoever and Sepp van den Berg, in 2018 and 2019 respectively, but neither have yet played in the Premier League, or were inspired by the FA Cup against Shrewsbury in February. There are also the highest hopes in the Academy for 17-year-old Frenchman Billy Koumetio, who was on the bench for the Carabao Cup match with Arsenal last October.
Nat Phillips will return from a loan spell with Stuttgart but only made one senior appearance, as an emergency assistant against Everton in January.