Dejan Lovren (Lyon)

1. CUT THE DEAD WOOD
Fenway Sports Group, Liverpool's owners, have made it clear quite how shocked they were by the club's bloated wage bill - more than £100 million a year - and have made their intention to get better value for money clear, so Dalglish's first task this summer will be to find new homes for Anfield's mongrel reserves.

Joe Cole will be the highest profile exile, but Milan Jovanovic, Sotirios Kyrgiakos, Alberto Aquilani, Nabil El Zhar, Paul Konchesky, Fabio Aurelio, David Ngog, Christian Poulsen, Philipp Degen and possibly even Daniel Agger, due to increasing concern over his injury problems, will join him.

2. REVAMP THE SQUAD
Dalglish will be tasked with working alongside Damien Comolli to fill the gaps left by that clear out, but it is FSG who will set the guidelines. The Americans' policy is based loosely on an economically viable version of Real Madrid's Cracks y Pavones, big stars on substantial wages supported by younger, cheaper squad men.

As many as eight signings are being targeted, with Bolton's Gary Cahill, Lyon's Dejan Lovren and Newcastle's Jose Enrique the most likely defensive reinforcements, two wingers - Ashley Young, Andre Ayew of Marseille and Sylvain Marveaux of Rennes - a central midfielder, possibly Feyenoord's Georginio Wijnaldum, and a striker expected to arrive.

3. IGNORE THE POLITICS
Much of the talk yesterday was of the unity that Dalglish has brought to Liverpool, hardly a surprise given the factionalism which has riven the club over the last three years.

rest of article here

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/8511290/Getting-down-to-business-Five-tasks-for-Kenny-Dalglish-to-get-Liverpool-back-on-track.html

I know he only gave a small mention to him, but we have been linked with him in earlier months, and I didnt see a thread on him already so I though I open one up....Kenny and Comolli also went to watch the Lyon-PSG game weeks ago to watch a few other transfer targets (Sakho, cissokho, etc.) so im sure they took notice of Lovren who is regarded as a great defender....can I our french expert Netistab provide us with more info on Lovren?

Having bagged Henderson, Liverpool will now try to secure the signatures of Ipswich's hulking 18-year-old striker Connor Wickham and 21-year-old Croatian defender Dejan Lovren, from Lyon. Those tyros will then be followed to Anfield by the practically ancient in comparison Scott Dann (24), Charlie Adam (25) and Stewart Downing (26).
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/jun/09/football-transfer-rumours

Lyon are a selling club or seem to be to me imo, so I doubt they sell him @ good value (for us) also when you consider hes only been there for one season......hes highly regarded in Europe though

A more mature version of Martin Kelly is how I would describe Lovren.  A lot of people consider Kelly a versatile defender in the sense that he'd look comfortable at RB/CB/LB and I guess the same was true of Lovren at the beginning of the season but with some good performances and injuries to key players, he's started to make a breakthrough into the first team at CB.  Lyon have just lost essentially 2 (okay, maybe 1.5) CBs this season (Diakhate returned to Kyiv after a season long loan) and Toulalan (who split his time in the first team between playing DM and CB).

He's a very well rounded CB who looks comfortable on the ball, reads the game very well and the closest comparison I could make to an LFC player would be Martin Kelly, but much better in the air and more composed in defence, however he is much weaker getting forward (especially weaker at crossing compared to Kelly).  There's a lot of potential there and he is regarded as the best defensive talent Croatia has ever produced (to be fair, that's not too hard though as currently it's Slaven Bilic and while he was good, he was hardly brilliant).  

As for price, Lyon don't sell their best prospects cheap and he arrived from Dinamo Zagreb two seasons ago for the price of €10m, combined with the fact that he is now essentially by default part of their first choice CB pair and Cris is getting old, I can't see them selling cheap.  They really have a defensive crisis at the moment (only 6 first team defenders on their books and 4 are fullbacks) so it's an area they will be looking to add talent to their ranks, not getting rid of.

On a national level, he is also very highly regarded and the current lynchpin of the Croatian defense ahead of Simunic.  He turned down offers from Spurs and Chelsea to join Lyon, so I think that should give you an indication of how highly rated the lad is.  Good attitude, very team orientated.

edit: Hypothetically if he were to join, I'd guess he would be our 4th choice CB after Agger, Skrtel and Carragher.  Although he really should be ahead of Carragher in the pecking order, I just can't see that happening.

Lyon are a selling club

Yes, they are a selling club, but at the same time, Jean-Michel Aulas is probably the most difficult person to deal with ... Even if we are to get Lovren, we would probably have to pay at least 120% of his realistic market value ...

Even if we are to get Lovren, we would probably have to pay at least 120% of his realistic market value ...

Do you mean 20% over and above market value; (which is 120%) or 120% over and above market value; (which equals 220%)?

20% above value.

Yes, they are a selling club, but at the same time, Jean-Michel Aulas is probably the most difficult person to deal with ... Even if we are to get Lovren, we would probably have to pay at least 120% of his realistic market value ...

thats what I was intending to say, they arent going to sell one of there better younger player they recently bought unless they get great value for it, thats why I find it hard to believe we can land Cissohko w/o giving up wayyy to much in terms of a transfer fee

Very good player. Closest thing to Vidic. Hope we sign him however he certainly wont come cheap.

20% above value.

Thought so TK, thanks. Another quick question mate: ain't "market value" the price that an item/unit can obtain on the open market?

If that's the case then Dejan (or any player, for that matter) is only worth what a buyer is prepared to pay.  Dejan is in short supply (being as it is that there's only one of him) and if demand exceeds that supply then the "market" sets it's self.

It's been so long since I done 'A' Level economics (and I only got a C) but surely we're taking "free market economy" here? So, in effect, whatever his cost (or any player, for that matter) is the realistic market value or am I wrong, as usual?

I digress. ...I know little about Lovren but a Croat who works with me insists he's the mutt's nuts. Again, I'll say: ain't it nice to be associated with players who are much thought of. ....  

Thought so TK, thanks. Another quick question mate: ain't "market value" the price that an item/unit can obtain on the open market?

If that's the case then Dejan (or any player, for that matter) is only worth what a buyer is prepared to pay.  Dejan is in short supply (being as it is that there's only one of him) and if demand exceeds that supply then the "market" sets it's self.

From my knowledge you're right.

I'm fairly sure too that English law states something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.

From my knowledge you're right.

 

 

Thought so TK, thanks. Another quick question mate: ain't "market value" the price that an item/unit can obtain on the open market?

I don't think that Jean-Michel Aulas is concerned much by the market economy laws ... He sets his selling price and usually gets it ...

I don't think that Jean-Michel Aulas is concerned much by the market economy laws ... He sets his selling price and usually gets it ...

"Market value" is what it is fella; irrespective of what you'd like us all to believe to be true. ...

Listen: if it makes you feel better, you can change it if you want. Personally, as I have no driving desire to be right all the time; I couldn't give a F**k. Sorry.  

I didn't know Liverpool want to sign Lovren. But he's not for sale. We bought him for the future, he is our best defender of the season with Réveillère. A good young defender, and he can progress a lot.

I didn't know Liverpool want to sign Lovren. But he's not for sale. We bought him for the future, he is our best defender of the season with Réveillère. A good young defender, and he can progress a lot.

Fair point of view mate. But, taking everything into account, plus the fact that you watch him every week, do you think he would be good enough to play in the Premiership and for a club like Liverpool Football Club?

Watching his performances i would say YES. But it's always difficult to predict if a player will be as good as he is now in an other team, in an other championship.

I'd go with him if we can get him on the cheap?

I'd go with him if we can get him on the cheap?

Depends on what do you consider ''cheap'' ... Lyon would ask €20 million for him ...

Theres no way he's worth 20m euros.  Max 7/8m if you ask me. 

Theres no way he's worth 20m euros.  Max 7/8m if you ask me. 

Lyon have actually bought him for €8 million, couple of seasons ago ... Considering how much he has progressed since, they would definitely ask for at least €20 million ...

he has only been at Lyon for one season. They can hardly expect us to pay 12million more than they did after only 1 year? I would say 12-15m at most

Been at Lyon for two seasons now but yeah I'm not entirely convinced we need a new CB.  For those who are convinced we do indeed new a CB and were very excited about the prospect of Phil Jones, this transfer should excite them just as much.