Tottenham Hotspur want Dejan Lovren to replace Jan Vertonghen
According to the Italian publication La Lazio Siamo Noi (h/t Express), Tottenham Hotspur will rival Arsenal to the signing of Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren.
The Croatian ace has fallen down the pecking order following the return of Joe Gomez and Joel Matip. The self-proclaimed best defender in the world has enjoyed a mixed time at Anfield since making the switch in 2014 from Southampton. He has gone on to make 184 appearances for the Reds and has scored eight goals and five assists.
Lovren’s contract expires in 2021 and the Reds are willing to sell him for a reported £18million. The player is fine with taking a pay cut to leave Liverpool.
An experienced alternative?
Tottenham are keen for the Croatian to replace long-serving defender Jan Vertonghen in the summer. The Belgian’s contract expires in the summer and Jose Mourinho has identified Lovren as a possible replacement.
According to the report, Tottenham will face competition from a number of clubs for the 30-year-old’s signature. Apart from arch-rivals Arsenal, Italian giants Lazio and AC Milan are also keen alongside his former side Lyon.
Liverpool’s valuation is reported to be agreeable for Tottenham as Mourinho looks to revamp his squad for next season. Although the Portuguese played down the need for a major revamp, defence remains a concern for Spurs. We have kept just four clean sheets in the Premier League this season.
The Spurs rebuild
Mourinho is keen on bringing in four players as he plans to rebuild the squad around Giovani Lo Celso. Lovren is an experienced international who has played in some of world football’s biggest stages.
Spurs fans will not have forgotten his horror show for the Reds against us in 2017. We won 4-1 on the night and the Croatian was pulled out of the game before half-time by Jurgen Klopp.
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Lovren is a regular for the Croatian national side and has made 57 appearances for his country. He was a part of the Croatian squad that made it to the finals of the FIFA World Cup in 2018.
There is no doubt that Lovren is experienced and is on his day an excellent defender. His inconsistency is a major matter of concern as he is equally capable of the ridiculous as the sublime. Whether we make the move for the soon to be 31-year-old remains to be seen.
