According to a recent report by The Daily Express, Tottenham Hotspur have joined Arsenal, Lazio, AC Milan and Olympique Lyonnais in the race to secure the signature of Dejan Lovren from Liverpool in the off-season. The same source has also mentioned that the Reds manager Jurgen Klopp will demand at least £18m for the Croatia international when the transfer window reopens later this summer. It is believed that Spurs boss Jose Mourinho has identified the Liverpool centre-back as an ideal replacement for Jan Vertonghen, whose contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is set to run out at the end of June (via The Daily Express).
Lovren’s Reserved Role At Anfield This Season
Lovren has played a sporadic role in Klopp’s squad this season as he has only been used in patches. The Croatian defender enjoyed a great run of form when both Joel Matip and Joe Gomez were out injured earlier this season. However, his form has taken a slight dip in recent weeks as summed up his disastrous display away at Vicarage Road where Liverpool suffered their first league defeat of this campaign by a 3-0 scoreline.
The 30-year-old has made 14 appearances for the Reds this term, earning just 1173 minutes of playing time on the field. He has averaged 1.4 tackles, 1.0 interceptions and 4.4 clearances per game in the Premier League this season and has one goal and one assist to his name as well (stats via whoscored). The stats prove that Lovren can be a decent contributor when he is playing with confidence on the field. However, the Liverpool fans will be all too familiar with the defender’s shortcomings as he always has a mistake in him which has cost the Merseyside club dearly in the past.
Therefore, Klopp will do well to ship him out of the club if his demands are matched by any of the player’s potential suitors this summer. Lovren can also benefit from a change of scenery as he is struggling to cope with the growing expectations surrounding him at Anfield every week.
What Are The Croatian Defender’s Strengths And Weaknesses?
On his day, Lovren can be a solid presence at the back as he has the strength and power to see off any danger in and around his own penalty area. However, not every day is his day, so we can expect an occasional poor performance from him, which makes him a liability on the pitch. He excels at sensing the danger and nipping the opponent’s attacks in the bud. The 57-time Croatia international can also make some vital last-ditch clearances for his side.
Will Lovren Be The Right Fit For Mourinho’s Team?
Lovren will be a decent budget option for Mourinho to consider before the start of the new campaign. He will not only add more depth to the Tottenham squad but will also add a winning mentality to their dressing room. The Liverpool centre-half will be a good fit for Mourinho’s style of play at North London as he won’t be expected to play the ball out from the back, at least not as often as he does at Anfield. He will also have less burden on his shoulders at a club like Tottenham where the expectation won’t be to compete for the league title but instead to secure a top-four spot.
Despite Lovren’s error-prone nature as a defender, Spurs should not hesitate about luring him to the English capital as he will undeniably be a more than capable replacement for Vertonghen, who has been far from convincing in terms of his performances this season.
