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After bolstering his options up front, Brendan Rodgers is looking to steady the ship at the back at Liverpool. The Reds are looking to add Southampton’s highly-rated centre-back Dejan Lovren to the already formidable rank to the spine of the defence at Anfield, according to reports.
If completed, the deal will see the third Southampton player head to Merseyside after Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana also joined Brendan Rodgers’ revolution at Anfield.
Liverpool has long been linked with the Croatian centre-back and now it looks like that the negotiations are entering it final stretch, with the ex-Lyon defender also looking keen on the move.
In an interview to Croatian website Sportske Novosti, Lovren said his “head is already at Liverpool”.
Liverpool earlier were reported to have had an offer of £20 million rejected by the Saints for the Croatian international and Koeman has come out time and again saying that their defensive star was not for sale.
However, in recent statements Koeman seems to have softened his stance regarding the transfer, but denied receiveing any bids from the Reds for their star. The ex-Barcelona manager, however, said that Liverpool will have to spend a considerable amount if they were to lure Lovren away from St. Mary’s.
"If they are interested, they have to come with a bid, and a good one, and then we can speak about that, because the player likes to move," Koeman told reporters after Southampton's 1-0 victory over Swindon on Monday in a pre-season friendly.
"Players have to be happy in Southampton - they have to fight for the colours of Southampton and, if not, okay, but always if there is a good bid on the table."
Liverpool is making serious waves in the transfer market this season, having already bagged Rickie Lambert, Emre Can, Lazar Markovic and Adam Lallana.
A further four now wait to be unveiled at Anfield. Loic Remy and Divock Origi are set for medicals in Boston, while Atletico Madrid's Javier Manquillo (please add link once publishing the piece on Manquillo) and now Lovren also apparently close to a move to the Kop.
