Blunder: Liverpool could go down a familiar path by sanctioning risky loan exit - opinion

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

Roma have made a new offer for Liverpool’s Dejan Lovren, according to Italian outlet Corriere Delle Sport.

What’s the update?

The Croatian has been on Roma’s radar for much of the summer after they lost Kostas Manolas to Napoli, but with just days remaining in the window it looked unlikely that the defender would make a move away from Anfield.

However, a loan move is seemingly in the offing and with Lovren being overtaken in the pecking order it is possible Jurgen Klopp will allow him to leave, although there is a stumbling block between the two clubs.

According to Corriere Delle Sport the main issue concerns Liverpool’s desire to insert an obligatory clause into the deal that would mean he would join the Serie A club permanently next summer, whereas Roma prefer to have the option to buy.

Roma are primarily concerned about the centre-back’s age and fitness issues and they are reluctant to commit to the four-year deal proposed by Lovren as a result.

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Mistake to let him leave

Lovren has come under heavy scrutiny at times since making the switch from Southampton to Anfield, but he has proven his importance to Klopp and would be a useful option over the course of the season.

Liverpool will likely aim to compete on all fronts this season and therefore cannot afford to lose Lovren, or any other centre-back for that matter.

His departure would leave The Reds with only three first-team centre-backs in Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez – the latter of which spent long spells out injured last season, making only 17 starts.

Losing Lovren would be a risky strategy for Klopp, who last year endured a similar problem after loaning Nathaniel Clyne to Bournemouth.

Shortly after the full-back’s departure he was forced to rely on James Milner to fill in for the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold during a period of time in which Gomez was also sidelined.

Without a natural right-back to call upon the Reds drew with Leicester, West Ham and Manchester United in a mini mid-season dip that ultimately prevented them from usurping Manchester City, and therein lies the damning evidence to prove it would be a mistake to sanction Lovren’s departure.

An injury to one of van Dijk, Matip and Gomez would back Klopp into a corner and make rotation impossible, and that in turn could derail their ambitions for the season.

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