Roma and Liverpool are keen to do business over Dejan Lovren this summer, but negotiations are rumbling on over the nature of the deal for the defender.
The 30-year-old has dropped down the pecking order at Anfield, with Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez all ahead of him in Jurgen Klopp’s thoughts at centre-back.
The Reds are happy to let him go while the European transfer window remains open till 2 September and originally set an asking price of £26m for the Croatia international.
Serie A side Roma are interested in the World Cup finalist, but would prefer to sign him on loan rather than a permanent deal.
Italian publication Corriere Dello Sport report that Liverpool are open to a loan deal for Lovren, but the clubs cannot agree on the specifics of the arrangement.
The Champions League holders want Roma to take Lovren off their hands on a loan with an obligation to buy – which is effectively a permanent transfer with another name.
However, Roma do not want to be tied into a long-term deal for the defender and prefer to take him on loan with an option to buy, not necessarily extending his contract beyond this season and sending him back to Anfield.
At 30-years-old and having suffered some injury concerns last season, Roma have worries about the long-term viability of Lovren.
Liverpool, though, do not want him to return to the club in 2020 with just one year left on his contract and a much smaller market value than he currently holds.
Lovren made just 18 appearances in all competitions last season and is keen to move on with playing time likely to be further reduced this season.
However, Roma have other targets in central defence, with Juventus’ Daniele Rugani, Torino’s Nicolas Nkoulou and even Arsenal’s Shkodran Mustafi on their radar.
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