Liverpool to extend contract then sell in summer
Liverpool want to extend Dejan Lovren’s deal then sell the player.
The Croatian international has featured in 15 matches this season so far, scoring a goal against Napoli while providing an assist in the Merseyside Derby in December.
Lovren’s current contract at Liverpool runs out in 2021 and according to Goal, the club will extend it till 2022 but will still be looking to sell him during the summer.
A previous report from them also claimed that Russian club Zenit St. Petersburg were willing to sign the 31-year-old on a cut-price deal. Previously, Serie A clubs AC Milan and AS Roma were also linked to the centre-back.
Since joining Liverpool from Southampton, Lovren has made 185 appearances for them across all competitions, amassing eight goals and five assists.
The Croatian international has fallen down the pecking order with Jurgen Klopp preferring Joe Gomez as Virgil van Dijk’s defensive partner while Joel Matip is ahead of him on a preference standpoint.
It seems very unlikely that Lovren will be a regular starter for the Reds given the current form of Gomez hence if he wants to receive first-team football, leaving the club would be best for him.
Extending his deal and then letting him go this summer would be good for Liverpool as then, they might receive the highest amount for him.
Since the resumption of football, Lovren only featured for Liverpool during their goalless draw against Everton when he came on for the injured Matip.
The Croatian international hasn’t featured in any of the Reds’ last five matches and he’ll almost certainly not be in the starting XI when they take on Arsenal at the Emirates on Wednesday.
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However, it will be interesting to see whether Klopp brings him on as a substitute or not.
The last time that happened, against Everton, things went badly very quickly and we haven’t seen him since.