Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers still has faith in summer signing Dejan Lovren…
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has moved to back summer signing Dejan Lovren, despite the Croatian’s indifferent record so far this season – report the Daily Mirror.
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The 25-year-old cost the Reds £20m last year, when he moved to Anfield from Southampton. But he shouldered much of the blame for Liverpool’s poor start to the season, and has now played only once since mid-December.
Lovren initially lost his place in the side to Kolo Toure, but even when fit he has since struggled to get back into the team, with Mamadou Sakho and Emre Can both having been picked ahead of him in a new-look 3-4-3 formation.
But despite some suggestions that the Northern Irishman has lost faith in the player, Rodgers’ recent comments suggest anything but: “Dejan will prove in his time here that he is a very, very good player,” he said.
“It’s never easy to come in, you’ve seen it over many years at the big clubs, the players that come, some will settle in straight away, some will need that little bit of time.
“For a defender, he’s still very, very young as a central defender. But he, in his time here, will prove to be an outstanding player. He’s a good guy and whether he starts or comes on off the bench, he will do his best.
“This whole year’s experience for him as a Liverpool player will benefit him and over the coming months and years he will show what a top player he is.”
Lovren’s one highlight in a Liverpool shirt so far this season came against Swansea City in the League Cup, where he netted the winning goal in stoppage time, after another struggling summer buy, Mario Balotelli, had equalised.