I do not regret leaving Liverpool – they miss me more than I miss them

Dejan Lovren doubled down on his decision to leave Liverpool in 2020, admitting his lack of game-time led him to leave the club after six years

Dejan Lovren insisted that Liverpool missed him more than he missed them after leaving the club in 2020. The 35-year-old spent six years at Anfield after arriving from Southampton in a £20million deal in 2014 that made him the club’s most expensive defender ever, until the £75m signing of Virgil van Dijk four years later.

Joining the club a year before Jurgen Klopp was appointed manager, Lovren was a mainstay in the team under Brendan Rodgers and continued that trend in the German’s first years in Merseyside.

However, numerous mistakes, followed by Van Dijk’s arrival, meant he was forced to settle for a bit-part role in his final two seasons, as he played just 33 games across all competitions.

Deciding to leave the club after falling behind Joe Gomez and Joel Matip in the pecking order, Lovren signed for Russian Premier League side Zenit Saint Petersburg for £10.9m following the club’s Premier League triumph.

A year after his departure, the former Croatia international admitted that he felt no regret leaving Liverpool and insisted that they missed his presence more than he had missed them.

Speaking to Russian outlet Sport Express: “No, I don’t regret [leaving]. 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.” The defender said that he remained in contact with Klopp who sent him a telling message as he revealed: “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.”

The recently-departed Liverpool boss wrote a poignant message about Lovren upon his departure where he reminisced about his most famous moment in a red shirt.

“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,”