Lots of Liverpool fans have been drooling on social media following reports by Goal claiming Zenit St. Petersburg are among the clubs interested in a summer swoop for Dejan Lovren.
Liverpool are believed to be ready to sell Lovren this summer and that the Croatian centre-half is also ready to leave Anfield after six years in the hopes of securing regular first-team football.
Lovren has been nothing more than a bit-part player for Reds manager Jurgen Klopp for the past two seasons, with the 31-year-old only making 20 starts in 23 Premier League appearances over the last two campaigns combined.
Klopp last handed Lovren a role in his starting line-up as Liverpool suffered their first defeat of the Premier League season against Watford in February, and has since only allowed the 6 ft 2 centre-back to play 17 minutes over the following seven fixtures – coming in June’s goalless draw at Everton following the resumption of the 2019/20 season.
Zenit’s interest in a move for Lovren is alleged to be strong, although Goal refute claims from Russia that the defender will be allowed to leave Anfield for free and instead insist Liverpool will demand a fee for the player signed from Southampton for £20million in 2014.
This has failed to dampen the spirits on Merseyside, however, as a plethora of supporters have rushed to social media to share their glee in reports suggesting Lovren could be on his way out of Anfield in the summer…
Honestly, if we sell Lovren after all these years, you’d count this window as a success regardless of anything else. https://t.co/UAoWGm0U8c
— Laurie (@LFCLaurie) July 12, 2020
YESSSSSSSSSS PLEASE LEAVEEEE
— Matt (@Mattxlfc) July 12, 2020
Lovren leaving > Winning the league https://t.co/Ry6xM8LzOL
— Lewis Dodd (@Lew_E_D) July 12, 2020
Would be a 10/10 window if him and Adrian left
— . (@Ifcryann) July 12, 2020
Good news ….make it happen! https://t.co/etPhqdY853
— ODEDERE (at 🏠) (@the_2nd_born) July 12, 2020
Omfg Lovren’s reign of terror over Liverpool fans might finally be over https://t.co/54rTOnVBMf pic.twitter.com/QrQlrxKufx
— LFCJ (@LFCJ__) July 12, 2020
Not every Liverpool fan is convinced that this will be Lovren’s last season on the books at Anfield, as while they hope to see the back of the £14.4m-rated defender, they will resist getting carried away until the deal is officially done.
Lovren will be hitting the market after a campaign that has so far seen the 57-cap international start just 26% of Liverpool’s Premier League fixtures, while averaging 1.5 successful tackles from 2.1 attempts per 90 minutes, plus 1.2 interceptions, 4.7 clearances, 1.1 blocks and commits on average 0.5 fouls, according to data collected by WhoScored.
Me now: 🤨🙏🏻
vs
Me later when he’s still on the roster: 🤬 🤮 https://t.co/l9yr9iIlmz— Matt Peake (@showmeyourbeer) July 13, 2020
Other Reds supporters are choosing to be more optimistic, though, and have already begun planning how the 2019/20 Premier League champions should spend the cash raised from Lovren’s exit.
We should be all over Dayot Upemacano from Leipzig to replace him. Makes us so much stronger at CB then
— chris king (@chrislfc87) July 12, 2020
This will fund Thiago signing
— Timmy Turnup (@Timmy_____) July 13, 2020