One of the best ways of raising funds for summer signings is to get rid of some of your fringe players, but that could be tricky this summer.
A lot of clubs won’t have money to spend, which means the transfer market could be slow as teams wait for someone else to make the first move.
It sounds like Liverpool could be close to earning a decent fee for a fringe player, with the Times claiming Dejan Lovren could be off to Zenit St Petersburg.
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It’s suggested that a deal worth around €12m is only one step away, and it could be a good move for Liverpool if they can put that towards freshening the team up.
Lovren is clearly fourth choice at best behind van Dijk, Matip and Gomez so first team chances could be limited, while he recently turned 31 so there’s not much time for development either.
He was ridiculed for a season or two after proving to be a weak link the defence, but he was solid enough this season when called upon.
The fee won’t be enough to finance a massive signing, but it would make sense to put that money and his wages towards a younger defender who could develop into a future starter.