'I don't regret leaving Liverpool - Jurgen Klopp missed me more than I missed him'

Dejan Lovren confidently declared that Liverpool felt his absence more keenly than he has missed the team since his exit in 2020 a year after leaving Anfield. After a six-year stint following his $26m (£20m/€24m) move from Southampton and becoming the most expensive defender in Liverpool's history at the time, Lovren saw his impact diminish with the arrival of Virgil van Dijk.

Initially a cornerstone under Brendan Rodgers and then Jurgen Klopp, the Croatian defender's tenure in the starting line-up was rocked by errors and eventually overshadowed by the Dutch colossus's signing. His last two seasons were blighted by reduced playing time, culminating in a mere 33 appearances across competitions before his transfer to Zenit Saint Petersburg for around $15m (£11m/€13m) post-Liverpool's Premier League victory.

A year on from waving goodbye to Anfield, Lovren spoke to Sport Express without a hint of remorse about his decision to part ways: "No, I don't regret [leaving]," he said. "My decision in the summer was firm — to leave Liverpool, and I do not look back. I got upset last season when I didn't play, but now everything is different."

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The defender shared that he had been in touch with Klopp, who sent him a heartfelt message: "I think Liverpool miss me more than I miss them and Jurgen Klopp knows this, because we communicate. He wrote recently: 'We miss you.' I spoke with Jurgen [after I left], but I will not disclose details. Jurgen said only good things and wished him luck."

Reflecting on Lovren's time at Liverpool, Klopp expressed his sentiments to Liverpool's official website: "Another Liverpool legend who leaves the club, because he was absolutely a very, very important part of this team from the first day since I was in."

Klopp reminisced about Lovren's impact, saying: "I remember when we played with Dortmund against Liverpool in the pre-season friendly and Dejan scored with a header with incredible power. That was the image I had in my mind when I came here and I thought about the defenders we had at the time."

He also recalled one of Lovren's standout moments: "He played super games and scored one of the most important goals of our history in the 4-3 against Borussia Dortmund; a really wonderful moment to share."

Liverpool.com says: Lovren was a decent enough player but Van Dijk was a huge upgrade and the Reds needed someone more reliable. Since letting him leave, Liverpool hasn't had cause to regret the decision.