Former Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren has revealed the details of his exit talks with Jurgen Klopp before he joined Zenit St Petersburg in the summer.
Croatia defender Lovren ended his six-year spell at Anfield in July after completing an £11m switch to Russian giants Zenit.
The 31-year-old, who made a total of 185 appearances for the club in all competitions, is known for being passionate on and off the pitch.
And Lovren admits that he and Klopp clashed when discussions emerged about his future in the summer as suspicions grew that he was becoming less of an important player to the Reds.
“We had some nice conversations in his office. It also got very loud, but always with respect,” he told German magazine Kicker.
“I had the feeling that I was no longer counted on in Liverpool. But I don’t want to be a substitute; I want to play football.
“Playing because others are injured – that’s exactly what I didn’t want anymore.
“I want to be important to a team, and that’s me here at Zenit.
“I actually wanted to leave in the summer of 2019, but that didn’t work out in the end. Fortunately, that’s how I left as a master.”
Ironically, Liverpool have struggled for cover at centre-back since Lovren’s departure.
Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez are long-term absentees, with Fabinho brought in to cover at the back, while Joel Matip has been given a more bigger role.
There's no doubting that were Lovren still on the books at Liverpool, he would have been given plenty of playing time this season as they seek more European and domestic success.
