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Liverpool are keen on signing Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly as a replacement for Dejan Lovren, according to reports from The Express.
They want to revive their pursuit of the talented defender after having failed to snap him up last season. Kelly, born and bred in his hometown club Bristol City, chose to move to the Cherries ahead of Liverpool at the start of the recently-concluded Premier League season.
He signed for a £13 million transfer fee but he could already be on his way out of the Vitality Stadium. Kelly's burgeoning potential and Bournemouth's uncertain future post relegation are the main reasons behind speculation regarding his future.
Kelly has garnered interest from Liverpool for his astute defending, maturity at the age of 21, and also for his versatility.
Lloyd Kelly ticks all the boxes for Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool
With Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip, and Joe Gomez being the only established centre-back options at Klopp's disposal, it is no surprise that Liverpool are desperate to beef up their centre-back depth.
Dejan Lovren completed a move to Zenit St. Petersburg after spending six years at Anfield and making 185 appearances for Liverpool. He joined the Russian giants for a fee in the region of £11 million, penning a three-year deal.
Having fallen out of favour under Klopp this term, Lovren decided to end his stay at Liverpool.
Kelly, still 21, is a great fit for Liverpool. The defender is sound and sturdy at the heart of the defence, while he can also operate at left-back. This is another area Liverpool are aiming to bolster.
The Englishman, however, did not have an ideal start to life in the top-flight. He saw his progress curtailed by hamstring, thigh, and ankle injuries. Kelly was able to make his Premier League debut post the Premier League restart.
In this short period of time, the Liverpool target proved his worth and illustrated why the Cherries paid that amount for a young player from a lower division.
Eddie Howe, relegated after five years from the Premier League, had earlier showered praise on Kelly.
"I think both positions for us at the moment. I wouldn’t say one or the other – he can play both very well. We have seen that, albeit in his very short time with us, when he’s trained. From full-back he’s really good athletically, he uses the ball well and is strong and good in the air – has lots of good qualities. At centre-back the same qualities show and his use of the ball is very good.”
As it turns out, Kelly could be one of the many players who are poised to leave Bournemouth after they lost their Premier League status. Liverpool are clear frontrunners for his signature, and training under Klopp, alongside a player like van Dijk, would only be beneficial for Kelly.
Besides Kelly, players such as Nathan Ake, Ryan Fraser, and Callum Wilson could reportedly leave Bournemouth.
Liverpool, meanwhile, have pre-season to focus on, as they aim to retain their Premier League title next season.
Also read: Reports: Jadon Sancho wants to join Liverpool instead of Manchester United
