Italian giants AS Roma are reportedly set to launch another attempt to try and sign Croatian international Dejan Lovren from Liverpool.
As per a report from Italian publication Corriere dello Sport, Serie A outfit AS Roma are set to make a fresh attempt to sign Liverpool star Dejan Lovren before the European transfer window slams shut next Monday.
Lovren’s future at Liverpool has been a subject of intense transfer speculation as the Croatian centre-half as dropped down the pecking order at Anfield in the past year or so. With Virgil van Dijk a certainty in the backline, Lovren has to compete with Joel Matip and Joe Gomez for the only remaining slot, with both of them currently well ahead of him in Jurgen Klopp’s scheme of things.
Lovren has not been a part of the matchday squad for Liverpool in any of their three Premier League fixtures this season, while he wasn’t involved in the UEFA Super Cup triumph against Chelsea as well. This has brought his future at the club under question, with a number of clubs taking an interest in his services.
AC Milan had been linked with a switch early in the summer, while of late Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen had also emerged as a suitor for the Croatian. However, AS Roma’s name has been doing the rounds consistently in the past few weeks, with the Giallorossi believed to be keen on securing defensive reinforcements having lost Kostas Manolas this summer.
Roma were believed to have held talks with Liverpool over the potential acquisition of Lovren, but with little progress being made, the Serie A giants turned their attention towards Juventus centre-back Daniele Rugani. However, their approach was rebuffed by the Italian champions, which has led Roma back to Liverpool as they look to seal the deal for Lovren.
The report claims that the Italian outfit want to take the defender on a season-long loan with the option of making the transfer permanent at the end of the season. It further adds that Roma will bear Lovren’s wages in complete during his time at the club.
Roma director Gianluca Petrachi is expected to come up with a concrete offer for Lovren and is hoping that the lure of regular playing time would be enough to convince the Liverpool star to consider a switch to Italy.
Lovren is in his sixth season with Liverpool, having joined from Southampton back in 2014. The 30-year-old still has two years left on his current contract with the reigning champions. But, with less than a week left for the transfer window to close, it remains to be seen if he stays at Anfield or seals a late transfer to Rome.
