Liverpool are in the final stages of negotiations with AS Roma over a loan-to-buy move for first-team defender Dejan Lovren, according to Sportske Novosti.
The Croatian publication claim on their website that the 30-year-old has agreed personal terms with the Italian side and that the only remaining sticking point is over how many games he will have to play to trigger the purchase clause in his new deal.
It is stated that negotiations could run for a few more days before being completed, with all other elements of the deal in place ready to be signed off and complete Lovren’s move to the Italian capital.
Opinion
A loan-to-buy makes a lot of sense for Lovren right now but it certainly has its potential pitfalls. Both Liverpool and Roma, not to mention the player, will be hoping that he is afforded the regular game time which allows him to trigger the clause and secure a permanent move to the Serie A giants – after all, he does not want to be stuck in limbo at Anfield. However, one serious injury could completely derail the proposed transfer and leave him languishing on the sidelines on his return to Merseyside next summer. Liverpool will probably be looking for a small number of games required to trigger his switch, while Roma might be wanting to push the number up to ensure they are not stuck with a defender they do not want or need this time next year. It should not be too hard to find a compromise if this is the final hurdle to overcome, for there are far bigger concerns to worry over when it comes to a transfer deal.
