Monday 7 July 2014 15:47, UK
Dejan Lovren has criticised Southampton for blocking a potential move to Liverpool and the defender admits his head is already at Anfield.
Liverpool, who have signed forwards Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana from Saints already this summer, had a £20million bid for the Croatia international rejected on Friday.
The south coast side want £25m for their star centre-back, who says he does not see a future at the club following the departures of popular manager Mauricio Pochettino to Tottenham, Luke Shaw to Manchester United, and Lambert and Lallana to Merseyside.
Lovren, 25, told Croatian media: "Liverpool sent the offer and the club haven’t informed me, not even about the subsequent Liverpool bids, and that wasn’t right.
"I found out from other people, which disappointed me, and I realise I’ve got no business staying at Southampton.
Frankly, my head is already at Liverpool. They are one of the biggest clubs in the world and the last time I played at Anfield I got chills when I heard ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’. I would like to listen to it all the time.
"They paid £9m for me so they would’ve earned twice the amount. At this point, I don’t know what I’ll do and I don’t like it.
"Frankly, my head is already at Liverpool. They are one of the biggest clubs in the world and the last time I played at Anfield I got chills when I heard ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’. I would like to listen to it all the time."
Despite finishing eighth in the Premier League last season, Southampton endured an uncertain time following the resignation of popular chairman Nicola Cortese in January.
Pochettino, Lambert, Lallana and Shaw have all left the club in the close-season and, speaking to Croatian publication Sportske Novosti, Lovren believes Southampton have subsequently fallen apart.
He said: "I signed because the club had great ambition. Cortese and Pochettino convinced me to sign, gave me assurances about the project and incredible confidence, but when the chairman left and Pochettino was going too, as early as April, I realised things had fallen apart.
"Honestly, I don’t know who the main man at the club is anymore. I’d gladly stay at Southampton if the club had any ambitions and if they kept the key players – not even the Liverpool bid would have dissuaded me if they had done that."
Lovren was signed by Pochettino from Lyon last summer and has made 31 appearances for the Saints, scoring twice.
