Dejan Lovren has opened up about his disappointment after Southampton rejected a £20million bid from Liverpool in 2014, revealing he learned of the offer from other people rather than the club. The Croatian defender eventually got his wish and moved to Anfield later that summer, but not before publicly urging Southampton to sell him.
Lovren, who had impressed during his debut Premier League season under Mauricio Pochettino, was one of several Southampton players to catch the eye as the south coast club enjoyed a strong campaign. Liverpool, looking to improve on a squad that had narrowly missed out on the title, made nine summer signings after selling Luis Suarez to Barcelona.
Frustration at rejected bid
Speaking in July 2014, Lovren said: "Liverpool sent the offer and the club haven't informed me. 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."
He added: "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."
Lovren also described his emotional connection to Anfield: "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."
Move to Anfield and later career
Shortly after speaking out, Lovren secured his move to Liverpool for around £20m, reuniting with former Southampton team-mates Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana. Southampton also sold Luke Shaw to Manchester United and Calum Chambers to Arsenal, while Pochettino left for Tottenham Hotspur that summer.
Before joining Liverpool, Lovren said of Southampton: "Honestly, I don't know who the main man at the club is anymore. 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, making 185 appearances and scoring eight goals. He was part of the 2019 Champions League and 2020 Premier League-winning squads under Jurgen Klopp before being sold to Zenit Saint Petersburg for around £11m, 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. He retired from international football in 2023 with 78 caps, having played in the 2018 World Cup final for Croatia.
