Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren is reportedly set to see his move to Roma collapse despite talk of a €15m deal being close.
The 30-year-old has been with the Merseyside giants since 2014, making 170 appearances for the club and establishing himself as a key figure in the squad.
However, he has seen himself fall down the pecking order over the last 12 months or so, with Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip now arguably ahead of him for Jurgen Klopp.
In turn, with his playing time likely to be limited this season, an exit was heavily touted this summer, but it appears as though there has been a stumbling block in reaching an agreement.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, an initial €3m loan move with a €12m obligation to buy at the end of the season appeared to be agreed upon between the two clubs.
However, a €1m bonus with regards to personal terms has been touted as the sticking point, with Lovren even said to have been willing to lower his wage demands.
The report above would suggest that the deal is now set to collapse and that Roma are even considering other options better suited to coach Paulo Fonseca’s demands, which will likely be a blow for both Liverpool and Lovren as it appeared to be a deal that suited the Croatian stalwart.
From Liverpool’s perspective though, there is perhaps an argument to suggest that Lovren would offer important depth as they look to compete on multiple fronts this season and beyond.
While he has fallen down the pecking order, injuries could ensure that he still has an important role to play moving forward, and with the suggestion that a switch to Roma is not happening, it remains to be seen if it can be rescued or another interested party emerges before the deadline around Europe next month.
