“I have no regrets about leaving Liverpool—they miss me more than I miss them”

Dejan Lovren reaffirmed his choice to leave Liverpool in 2020, revealing that a lack of playing time was a key factor in his departure after a six-year stint at the club.

Lovren asserted that Liverpool felt his absence more than he felt theirs after his exit. At 35, Lovren had been with Liverpool since arriving from Southampton in 2014 for £20 million, a record fee for the club until Virgil van Dijk’s £75 million transfer four years later.

Joining the club a year before Jurgen Klopp took over, Lovren was a regular starter under Brendan Rodgers and maintained that role in Klopp’s early years. However, after a series of errors and the arrival of Van Dijk, Lovren’s role diminished, and he featured in only 33 matches across all competitions in his final two seasons.

After falling behind Joe Gomez and Joel Matip in the pecking order, Lovren decided to move on and joined Zenit Saint Petersburg in the Russian Premier League for £10.9 million, following Liverpool’s Premier League victory.

A year after leaving, Lovren expressed that he had no regrets about his departure and felt that Liverpool missed him more than he missed them. In an interview with Russian outlet Sport Express, he stated: “No, I don’t regret [leaving]. My decision in the summer was firm—to leave Liverpool, and I do not look back.”

Lovren mentioned feeling disappointed about his lack of playtime but noted that things had changed. He also maintained contact with Klopp, who had sent him a message saying, “We miss you.” Lovren shared that Klopp only offered positive remarks and wished him well.

Klopp had previously penned a heartfelt note about Lovren’s departure, recalling his significant contributions to the team. Klopp remembered Lovren’s powerful header against Dortmund and his crucial goal in the 4-3 victory over Borussia Dortmund, calling it a “really wonderful moment to share.”

After spending three years in Russia, Lovren returned to Lyon for a year before recently signing with Greek club PAOK.

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‘Really worried’ – Arne Slot reacts to Liverpool player’s desire to leave following rejected bid

Nottingham Forest’s bid for Caoimhin Kelleher was rejected.

Arne Slot has expressed understanding regarding Caoimhin Kelleher’s desire to leave Liverpool. During the international break with the Republic of Ireland, Kelleher voiced his frustration over Liverpool’s signing of Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia.

The 25-year-old is currently the backup goalkeeper to Alisson Becker at Anfield, but the acquisition of Mamardashvili—who will stay on loan at Valencia for the 2024-25 season—suggests he is being groomed as the future No. 1.

Liverpool declined a late offer from Nottingham Forest for Kelleher as it did not meet their £30 million valuation. Kelleher has repeatedly stated his wish to play regularly.

Despite this, Slot did not take offense at Kelleher’s comments. He noted that he would be “really worried” if players who aren’t regularly featured were content with that status.

At his pre-Forest press conference, Slot remarked: “I would be really worried if a player came out and said he doesn’t care about playing first-team football. That would be a bigger worry for me.

“It’s normal they want to play but it’s normal for a club like this that wants to compete for trophies to have more than 11 players who can play. As long as they can accept their situation—not in a way that I don’t care I’m not playing but by helping the team when they have to—is a good place to be.

“Caoimhin has shown many times in the past few years and in pre-season he’s ready when we need him. It’s a good thing and who knows, he’s going to play for us in the future but at the moment, it’s quite clear Alisson is No. 1. It’s a normal situation for a player to be in if you’re not playing but he handles the situation.”