Liverpool have certainly been blessed with plenty of characters in their rich history. And not many were as memorable in recent times as Dejan Lovren.
The centre-back spent six years at Anfield after signing from Southampton in 2014 in a £20million deal. He would eventually leave in 2020 to sign for Zenit St Petersburg for close to £11m, winning four major trophies along the way.
On this day three years ago, Lovren scored what turned out to be his final goal in a Liverpool shirt. It may not be a game that many Reds supporters remember too well, but it’s likely to resonate in some way for the defender himself.
READ MORE: 'I love the club' - Youssoufa Moukoko reveals transfer plan amid Liverpool links
READ MORE: Liverpool get Mason Mount boost after decision made on '£200,000-a-week' contract
Liverpool were held to a 1-1 draw with Napoli in the Champions League group stage on this day in 2019. Dries Mertens put the Italian side ahead, before Lovren headed in an equaliser in front of the Kop.
It was his eighth goal in a Liverpool shirt, and also his final before leaving the Reds a few months later. However, if things had gone to Lovren’s plan then he wouldn’t have been at Anfield at all for that match.
The summer of 2019 saw plenty of interest in Lovren’s services. The likes of AC MIlan and Roma were heavily linked with signing the defender, but only a loan deal was mooted.
Jurgen Klopp did not want to let the defender go, even though the player was unhappy with his lack of game time. Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip were ahead of him in the pecking order, and Lovren did not like being fourth choice centre-back.
"Yes, I did consider the move, I knew I gave my best for Liverpool and won the Champions League, and I am not kind of player that likes to be benched and earn money,” Lovren told Croatian news outlet Sportske Novosti in September 2019.
"Yes, some people around me advised me 'what do you care, you are in big club, shut up and take the money', but I am not happy sitting on the bench.
"Milan contacted me but Roma was most persistent, but the negotiations didn't go well. I don't want to go somewhere and prove someone who I am and how do I play and am I ready or not.
"I am a professional, I have won the Champions League, won a World Cup silver medal, I achieved big things in football and don't deserve to go anywhere on loan and to have someone checking me and my quality.
"I feel very happy because all the time I felt Liverpool was by me, and I respect that a lot. Klopp told me: 'Listen, buddy, you are top-class player, we will not let you go on loan. We need you'.
"Yes, when he told me that, it was unclear to me because I know currently I am in worst position of all centre-backs in the team. But there will be a lot of matches, some injuries are possible too...I wanted to leave, it didn't happen, I was told Liverpool needs me and I accepted that. It was not meant to be for me to leave.
"Last week I spoke to Klopp again, he told me he understands me, knows I am not happy, but he also said: 'Look, now it is finished, I want you to reset your head, I find you important'.
"I feel I am in my prime age, in great shape, mentally ready and you can not buy experience. Not many players have played in the World Cup final and Champions League final as me.
"That is why Liverpool wouldn't let me go on loan. You have to pay to get quality and not go somewhere and prove something to someone."
After helping Liverpool win the Premier League title in 2020, Lovren’s time at Anfield would come to an end. While he was never first choice in the team that season, the experienced defender was key to a number of important victories, including against Manchester City.
During his time at Liverpool, Lovren formed a close friendship with Mohamed Salah. His decision to call time on his six-year stint on Merseyside was a difficult one, mainly for person reasons rather than the footballing factors.
“It was difficult because I had a life there with the kids going to school,” Lovren told The Athletic in 2021.
“My wife and I had our daily habits. And when you have friends like with me and Salah, of course, you’re disappointed you are leaving. But you understand that it’s part of football. In a football career, you are bound to change clubs at times. I accepted it. I moved on quite quickly because I was straightaway focused on my next challenge with Zenit.
“As soon as I knew Zenit were interested and that the talks were going well, I was in a really good mood. I am happy about my decision, I don’t have regrets, I’m still here.”
Just a couple of months after leaving Liverpool, his old club were in a difficult position with injuries mounting up in his position. Van Dijk, Gomez and Matip were all suffering with issues, and Lovren would almost certainly have played had he remained at the time.
However, he had no regrets about leaving Anfield when he did. “I don’t regret anything,” he said in the same interview.
“When I took my decision, it was the right thing to do at that moment with that state of mind. I cannot say, ‘Ah…’.
“It’s like saying after the draw has already taken place, ‘Why didn’t you circle the correct lotto numbers?’, as if you knew that was going to happen. It doesn’t work like that.”
Lovren is now at the World Cup for Croatia, who take on Canada in their next group match in Qatar later this afternoon. The former Liverpool defender started for his country in their goalless draw with Morocco in their first fixture of the tournament.
READ NEXT:
- 'I never thought I was going to be a Liverpool player' - brutally honest youngster explains exit and reality facing Academy hopefuls
- Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk issues scathing response to Marco van Basten 'failing' criticism
- Liverpool can take one major positive from narrow mini-derby defeat at Everton
- Jordan Henderson admits World Cup disappointment for Liverpool team-mate
- What Liverpool fans did that triggered Jurgen Klopp 'rage' in front of FSG and Steven Gerrard
