A former Liverpool star shared his frustration after initially being denied a move to Anfield
Dejan Lovren with Liverpool teammates
A former Liverpool star discussed his disappointment at being denied a move to the Reds(Image: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
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Dejan Lovren publicly urged Southampton to sell him to Liverpool after the club turned down a bid from the Reds. The defender ultimately got his wish, but not before airing his issues with the Saints in 2014.
The Croatian centre-back, who will likely keep a close eye on his country’s clash with England on Saturday, had earned plenty of plaudits throughout his first year in the Premier League. The former Lyon star was one of several Southampton players who caught the eye as the south coast club impressed under Mauricio Pochettino.
Liverpool were aiming to improve on the squad that had narrowly missed out on the club’s first Premier League title. Despite selling Luis Suarez to Barcelona, the club made nine summer signings to strengthen across several positions.
The Reds were convinced to swoop for Lovren following the defender’s 31 league appearances for Saints in his debut season. However, Lovren was left reeling upon learning Brendan Rodgers’ side had seen a £20million offer rejected.
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“Liverpool sent the offer and the club haven't informed me,” Lovren explained in July 2014. “That wasn't right. I found out about the bid from other people which disappointed me and I realised I've got no business staying at Southampton.
“Liverpool sent a £20m offer and they paid £9m for me, so they would've earned more than twice the amount. At this point, I don't know what I'll do and I don't like it.
“It was unbelievable that a few days ago I had an offer of £20m. It was in the morning and by the afternoon the club had said I was not for sale. Frankly, my head is already at Liverpool.”
He added: “The last time I played at Anfield, I got chills when I heard 'You'll Never Walk Alone.' I would like to listen to it all the time.”
Dejan Lovren with the Champions League trophy
Dejan Lovren won the Champions League and Premier League during his time at Liverpool (Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
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Shortly after speaking out, Lovren secured his dream move to Anfield later that month for around £20m. He was quickly reunited with his former Saints team-mates Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana, who had made the same switch earlier in the window.
Southampton also sold Luke Shaw to Manchester United and Calum Chambers to Arsenal, with their manager, Pochettino, leaving for Tottenham Hotspur that summer. The scale of the changes influenced Lovren’s desire to move on from St Mary’s.
“Honestly, I don't know who the main man at the club is anymore,” he said of Southampton before joining Liverpool. “They are now looking for £25m, but I don't think they'll get it.
“Look, I'd gladly stay at Southampton if the club had any ambitions, if they kept the key players. Not even the Liverpool bid would have dissuaded me.”
Lovren spent six seasons with the Reds and was part of the 2019 Champions League and 2020 Premier League-winning squads under Jurgen Klopp. The centre-back made 185 appearances for the club, scoring eight goals, before being sold for around £11m to Russian giants Zenit Saint Petersburg, where he won three league titles.
After briefly rejoining Lyon in January 2023, the 37-year-old signed for Greek side PAOK two years ago and is currently a free agent. Lovren retired from international football in 2023 with 78 caps, most notably playing in the 2018 World Cup final for Croatia.