Dejan Lovren

Dejan Lovren

Lovren playing for Liverpool in 2014
Personal information
Full name Dejan Lovren[1]
Date of birth (1989-07-05) 5 July 1989
Place of birth Zenica, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[2]
Playing position Centre back
Club information
Current team
 Liverpool
Number 6
Youth career
Karlovac
2004–2006 Dinamo Zagreb
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2006–2010 Dinamo Zagreb 37 (1)
2006–2009 → Inter Zaprešić (loan) 50 (1)
2010–2013 Lyon 72 (2)
2012 Lyon B 2 (0)
2013–2014 Southampton 31 (2)
2014– Liverpool 40 (0)
National team‡
2004–2005 Croatia U17 18 (2)
2006 Croatia U18 2 (0)
2006–2008 Croatia U19 10 (1)
2007–2009 Croatia U20 5 (0)
2007–2010 Croatia U21 19 (3)
2009– Croatia 30 (2)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 16:49, 3 January 2016 (UTC).
† Appearances (goals)

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 10:26, 30 November 2015 (UTC)

Dejan Lovren (pronounced [loʋrêːn]; born 5 July 1989) is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a central defender for Premier League club Liverpool and the Croatian national team.[3]

Lovren began his career at Dinamo Zagreb before moving to Olympique Lyonnais in January 2010. He spent three-and-a-half seasons with the Ligue 1 team, winning the 2012 Coupe de France. In 2013, he signed for Southampton, and after one season there, he joined Liverpool for £20 million.

Although born in what is now Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lovren has represented Croatia at many levels and has been a full international since 2009. He has gone on to make 30 appearances and score two goals for his country, as well as being selected for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.[4]

Early life

Lovren was born to Croatian parents in Zenica, Yugoslavia, present-day Bosnia and Herzegovina.[5]

When the Bosnian War began in the 1990s, Lovren's family made the decision to escape to Munich. Lovren was three years old when his family fled Yugoslavia, and spent the next seven years in Germany. Lovren states that he was "a happy boy, I spoke German perfectly, I went to school, I played for a little club." The family, however, eventually had to return as they did not possess necessary documentation. They settled in Karlovac, Croatia, 50 kilometres southwest of the capital city of Zagreb.[6][7]

Lovren initially found settling in Croatia difficult, and struggled in school for a couple of years due to his unfamiliarity with the language.[7]

Club career

Dinamo Zagreb

Dejan Lovren started his career in the youth teams of NK Karlovac. He joined top flight club NK Dinamo Zagreb in 2004. On 10 May 2006, he debuted for the senior squad of Dinamo in a Prva HNL match against NK Varteks Varaždin. On 17 July 2006, he was loaned to NK Inter Zaprešić for two seasons in which he featured in 50 league matches and scored a goal against NK Osijek in Inter's 2–1 loss on 10 May 2008. Following his return from loan, Lovren regularly featured in Dinamo's starting XI, appearing in 38 matches throughout 2008–09 season and scoring three goals. In 2009–10, he featured in all four UEFA Champions League qualifiers against Pyunik Yerevan and Red Bull Salzburg, respectively, also managing to score a close–range header against Pyunik.[8]

Lyon

Lovren playing for Lyon in 2010.

In January 2010, Lovren signed for French Ligue 1 club Olympique Lyonnais for €8 million plus €1.5 million in incentives on a four-and-a-half-year contract.[9] He made his competitive debut on 24 January 2010 in their 2–1 defeat at AS Monaco in the Coupe de France, playing the full match. His Ligue 1 debut came on 31 January in Lyon's 2–1 win at home to Paris Saint-Germain, once again playing the full 90 minutes. During the second half of the season, he made 10 appearances, mostly as a substitute. He was not allowed to participate in Lyon's matches in the UEFA Champions League, however, because he had already played in the competition for Dinamo Zagreb.

Lovren's playing time increased during the 2010–11 season, following the departure of two other defenders, Jean-Alain Boumsong and Mathieu Bodmer, in the summer of 2010. During the season, he gradually established himself as the first team regular starter, playing as a centre-back alongside Cris. In some games during the season, he was also used as a right or left full-back, demonstrating himself as a versatile defender.

In November 2010, Lovren was listed in the Don Balón list of the 100 best young players in the world.[10]

On 23 January 2012, the Croatian defender extended his contract with Lyon for two more seasons, signing with the French club until 2016. He started for Lyon in the 2012 Coupe de France Final, a 1–0 win over Quevilly, but was substituted after 18 minutes for Bakary Koné.

Southampton

On 14 June 2013, Lovren signed for Southampton on a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee,[11] which was estimated at £8.5 million.[12] He made his debut on 17 August 2013, in 1–0 win against West Bromwich Albion.[13] He scored his first goal for Southampton against Liverpool at Anfield on 21 September 2013, a goal which proved to be the winner.[14] On 19 October, he assisted in closing minutes to Adam Lallana for equalising goal against Manchester United at Old Trafford.[15]

He added a second league goal in the 2–2 away draw against Sunderland on 18 January 2014,[16] but was stretchered off late in the game and required hospital treatment after the match.[17] On 23 January, it was announced that along with midfielder Gastón Ramírez, Lovren would be out for six-to-eight weeks with ankle ligament damage.[18]

At the conclusion of his first season in the Premier League, Lovren was named in Bloomberg Sports' Power 50 list, which provides statistical rankings of performances from players in Europe's top five leagues.[19] He was the fifth-highest ranked player from the Premier League in 31st position.[20]

After much speculation regarding Lovren's future following the departures of Adam Lallana, Luke Shaw and Rickie Lambert from Southampton, the Liverpool Echo reported on 25 July 2014 that Southampton had agreed a fee with Liverpool for the sale of Lovren, who was set to undergo a medical at the Merseyside club after reportedly handing in a transfer request at Southampton.[21]

Liverpool

On 27 July 2014, Lovren became the third Southampton player that transfer window to join Liverpool, after Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana. He signed a four-year deal for a reported fee of £20 million, becoming the most expensive Liverpool defender.[22][23]

On 10 August 2014 he made his debut in a friendly for Liverpool against Borussia Dortmund at Anfield and scored the second goal in a 4–0 victory.[24] He made his competitive debut on 17 August in the club's opening game of the new Premier League season, playing the full 90 minutes of a 2–1 win over former club Southampton at Anfield.[25]

He scored his first official goal for Liverpool on 28 October, when he headed in the game-winner from a free-kick late in injury time in a fourth round League Cup 2–1 victory over Swansea City.[26] However, following his poor performance in a Champions League defeat to Basel, Lovren was dropped from the first team.[27] As the last penalty taker Lovren put his attempt over the crossbar as Liverpool lost in a penalty shootout to Beşiktaş on 26 February 2015, as they were eliminated from the last 32 of the UEFA Europa League.[28]

The Telegraph website included Lovren in a feature about the 2014–15 Premier League's 20 worst signings which remarked on the number of his errors that resulted in opposition goals.[29]

Lovren regained his place in the lineup for the first three games of the 2015–16 season and performed well securing two clean sheets and seven points. However, following a pair of defeats to West Ham United and rivals Manchester United in which the defence conceded six goals, Lovren again lost his place to Mamadou Sakho.[30] On 8 November, he came on as a substitute for Sakho in a 2–1 defeat to Crystal Palace at Anfield, with Sakho sustained a knee injury that ruled him out for two months.[31] On 13 December, in a 2–2 draw against West Bromwich Albion, Lovren was stretchered off the pitch in the 79th minute due to injury and was replaced by Divock Origi.[32]

International career

Lovren (right) defending against Brazil's Oscar in the opening match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup

Lovren was first called–up to Croatian national team in 2009 by manager Slaven Bilić, who included the player in his match squad against Belarus on 12 August. He was an unused substitute, but still was delighted with the new experience.[33] Lovren was also capped 48 times in the various Croatia youth national teams and scored four goals.[34]

On 2 September 2011, Lovren scored his first international goal, against Malta in a UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying match. He was included by manager Slaven Bilić in a preliminary 23-man squad for UEFA Euro 2012 but had to withdraw because of injury just one week before the tournament.[35]

Lovren scored his second goal for Croatia on 26 March 2013 in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Wales at Liberty Stadium in Swansea. It was an equaliser that levelled the match 1–1, after Gareth Bale had given Wales the lead from a penalty conceded when Lovren brought down Joe Ledley. Croatia eventually won the game 1–2.[36][37]

In May 2014, Lovren was named in manager Niko Kovač's provisional 30-man squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.[38] In the opening match of the tournament, on 12 June against the hosts Brazil in São Paulo, Lovren was judged by the Japanese referee Yuichi Nishimura to have fouled Fred in the 69th minute when the score was 1–1. A controversial penalty was given, which was converted by Neymar and led to Brazil's eventual 3–1 win.[39][40]

International goals

Scores and results list Croatia's goal tally first.[41]
Goal Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 2 September 2011 Ta'Qali Stadium, Ta' Qali  Malta 3–1 3–1 UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
2 26 March 2013 Liberty Stadium, Swansea  Wales 1–1 1–2 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification

Career statistics

Club

As of 10 December 2015[42][43]
Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Croatia League Croatian Football Cup League Cup Europe Total
2005–06Dinamo ZagrebPrva HNL1000————10
2006–07Inter Zaprešić (loan)Druga HNL21040————250
2007–08Prva HNL29120————311
2008–09Dinamo Zagreb22181——81383
2009–1014040——111291
France League Coupe de France Coupe de la Ligue Europe Total
2009–10LyonLigue 1801010——100
2010–11280201061371
2011–12181302080311
2012–13181001050241
England League FA Cup Football League Cup Europe Total
2013–14SouthamptonPremier League3120000——312
2014–15Liverpool260402160381
2015–16100003030160
Career total 226628110147331111

Honours

[44][45]

Club

Dinamo Zagreb
Inter Zaprešić
Lyon

Interests outside football

Lovren runs the "Russell Brown" fashion label in partnership with Lovro Krčar. The company is based in Croatia and employs eight people, including two designers.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Premier League Clubs submit Squad Lists" (PDF). Premier League. 4 February 2014. p. 28. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
  2. ↑ "First Team Profiles". Liverpoolfc.co.uk. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  3. ↑ "Dejan Lovren pozvan za utakmicu protiv Bjelorusije" (in Croatian). monitor.hr. 29 July 2009. Retrieved 16 August 2009.
  4. ↑ "Croatia World Cup 2014 squad". The Telegraph. 2 June 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  5. ↑ "Dejan Lovren". Player profile. Southampton FC. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  6. 1 2 Cunningham, Sam (5 December 2013). "Lovren is always in top gear for Saints...". Daily Mail. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  7. 1 2 Doyle, Paul (30 November 2013). "Dejan Lovren puts traumas behind him to enjoy Southampton high life". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
  8. ↑ "Dinamo pred praznim Maksimirom prošao dalje" (in Croatian). Dnevnik. 21 July 2009. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
  9. ↑ "Reference Document 2008/09" (PDF). Olympique Lyonnais. www.actusnews.com. p. 101. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  10. ↑ "Don Balon’s list of the 100 best young players in the world". Don Balón. 2 November 2010. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  11. ↑ "Saints Land Lovren". Southampton FC. 14 June 2013. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
  12. ↑ Simpson, Gordon (14 June 2013). "Saints make £8m swoop for defender". Southampton Echo. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  13. ↑ "West Brom 0 – 1 Southampton". BBC Sport. 17 August 2013. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
  14. ↑ "Liverpool 0 - 1 Southampton". BBC Sport. 21 September 2013. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  15. ↑ "Manchester United 1 - 1 Southampton". BBC Sport. 19 October 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  16. ↑ "Sunderland 2 – 2 Southampton". BBC Sport. 18 January 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  17. ↑ Slavin, Harry (19 January 2014). "Pochettino admits concern over Lovren and Ramirez injuries". Goal.com. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  18. ↑ "Gaston Ramirez and Dejan Lovren out for up to eight weeks". BBC Sport. 23 January 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  19. ↑ "Saints trio in Bloomberg Power 50". Southampton FC. 22 May 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  20. ↑ "Power 50 List". Bloomberg Sports. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  21. ↑ "Liverpool FC agree £20m deal for Lovren". The Liverpool Echo. 25 July 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  22. ↑ "Liverpool sign Dejan Lovren from Southampton". BBC Sport. 27 July 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  23. ↑ "Dejan Lovren seals Liverpool transfer". Liverpool Football Club. 27 July 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  24. ↑ "Liverpool 4-0 Borussia Dortmund". BBC Sport. 10 August 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
  25. ↑ "Liverpool 2 – 1 Southampton". BBC Sport. 17 August 2014. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
  26. ↑ "Liverpool 2 – 1 Swansea". BBC Sport. 28 October 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  27. ↑ Lewis, Darren (12 December 2015). "Dejan Lovren's Liverpool future in doubt as teammates lose faith in defender after dismal start". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  28. ↑ Whalley, Mike (26 February 2015). "Besiktas 1-0 Liverpool". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  29. ↑ "20 worst Premier League signings of the 2014/15 season". The Daily Telegraph. 4 June 2015. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  30. ↑ "Rodgers Insists Sakho Remains in His Long-Term Plans". SB Nation. 17 September 2015. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  31. ↑ "Liverpool's Mamadou Sakho out six to eight weeks with knee injury". ESPN FC. 13 November 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  32. ↑ "Liverpool 0–0 West Brom". BBC Sport. 13 December 2015. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  33. ↑ "Novi reprezentativac spreman za "modre" izazove" (in Croatian). NK Dinamo. 14 August 2009. Retrieved 6 September 2009.
  34. ↑ List of national team appearances at official website of Croatian Football Federation
  35. ↑ "Croatia Euro 2012 squad sees Lovren and Kalinic miss out". Daily Mail. 29 May 2012. Retrieved 2013-11-11.
  36. ↑ "Lovren izjednačio, Eduardo zabio za pobjedu!". gol.dnevnik.hr. 26 March 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  37. ↑ Pope, Bruce (26 March 2013). "Wales 1 - 2 Croatia". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  38. ↑ "Provisional Croatia call for Lovren". Southampton FC. 14 May 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  39. ↑ "Brazil 3-1 Croatia". BBC Sport. 12 June 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  40. ↑ "World Cup 2014: Brazil v Croatia referee scandalous - Dejan Lovren". BBC Sport. 13 June 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  41. ↑ "Dejan Lovren profile". eu-football.info. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  42. ↑ "Dejan Lovren > Club Matches". worldfootball.net.
  43. ↑ Career statistics at Ligue 1 official website
  44. ↑ "D. Lovren". Soccerway. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
  45. ↑ "Dejan Lovren". ArticleBio. Retrieved 12 July 2014.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dejan Lovren.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Friday, January 15, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.