Liverpool do have the option of extending centre-back Dejan Lovren‘s contract for a further year, according to the Times reporter Paul Joyce.
The reliable journalist claims the Reds could trigger their extension so he remains at Anfield until 2022. Zenit St Petersburg were said to be hopeful of securing the Croatian on a cut-price deal this summer as they believed his current deal was set to expire next year but this latest development will change things.
Fans on Twitter are now wondering whether Lovren will, in fact, leave the club as expected:
Could this day get any worse?
— AB #CHAMP19NS (@ABxLFC) July 13, 2020
It means we’ll get more money ?
— Tom Harris (@tdharris20) July 13, 2020
HAHA MICHAEL EDWARDS MASTERCLASS pic.twitter.com/0y6xN1f8PU
— Jürgen Meister?? (@SS_LFC) July 13, 2020
So we’ll get more money for him or it’s scared them all off ffs
— Jake (@JM99__) July 13, 2020
We don’t want this additional year, they can sign him ?
— Kloppology (@Kloppology_FC) July 13, 2020
We signed him in the summer of 2015, it doesn’t make sense to hardball a sale for someone we consider 4th choice (maybe 5th with Fabinho moving ahead as a CB option?) wish him well and let him move where he’s wanted imo.
— Ash Campbell (@Ash87Campbell) July 13, 2020
What if no one buys him? He stays for 2 more years FFS
— Klopp (@KloppTheKaiser) July 13, 2020
— TrollfaceJürgen (@NewhouseT) July 13, 2020
Let him go for free.
— 〽️? (@gmxnu) July 13, 2020
Just get rid ffs
— Stuart Chapman (@StuJChapman) July 13, 2020
On one hand, it does strengthen Liverpool’s position in terms of getting a higher transfer fee but if it does put off Zenit from making a bid then the 31-year-old’s departure looks far from certain.
Considering the current financial climate, selling Lovren this summer is unlikely to bring in much in terms of a transfer fee so the Reds will be weighing up whether a sale is worthwhile unless they can find a suitable replacement.