Lovren deal surely calls time for admired Liverpool centre-back

Liverpool’s persistence in trying to sign Southampton defender Dejan Lovren appears to have paid off with the BBC reporting only a medical now stands in the way, after the clubs finally agreed a £20m fee.

Lovren’s arrival would round off an astonishing triple raid of Saints’ playing staff by Liverpool this summer, following earlier deals for striker Rickie Lambert and midfielder Adam Lallana.

The £75m windfall from the sale of Luis Suarez clearly pushed the Lovren deal forward in the end, taking Liverpool’s spending to around the £80m during this transfer window – including the purchases of Emre Can and Lazar Markovic.

But with all these extra bodies coming in and only Suarez departing, Brendan Rodgers must be preparing to let a few leave, even with Champions League football back on the agenda.

Now he has snared his man in the form of Croatian international defender, one obvious candidate to head out the Anfield exit door, is long-serving centre-back Daniel Agger.

The 29-year-old Dane has often been the subject of speculation which intensified last summer when Barcelona came knocking for the left-sided defender.

Meanwhile, Serie A champions Juventus are also long-term admirers of the Liverpool vice-captain who is among the more cultured Premier League centre-backs.

Heavily tattooed Agger was a previous favourite of Kenny Dalglish and Rafeal Benitez before him, but since the £18m arrival of fellow left footer Mahamadou Sakho from PSG, his card has looked increasingly marked.

Last season, as Liverpool tried in vain to land a first title in 24 years, Agger was reduced to just 23 appearances with the resurgence Martin Skrtel sewing up the right-sided berth under Rodgers.

Considering Kolo Toure, Tiago Ilori, Martin Kelly and Sebastian Coates are all still in the mix, it seems highly plausible Agger make way.

Liverpool are currently 4/5 pokes to make the top-four again in 2014/15.

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