The Croatian defender is furious at Southampton’s rejection of a £20 million bid from the Reds for his services and slams the south-coast club’s lack of ambition

Southampton defender Dejan Lovren says his “head is already at Liverpool” after revealing his frustration at not being sold to the Reds.

Having already signed Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana from the Saints this summer, Brendan Rodgers’s side made a £20 million bid for the centre-back just a year after he joined the club from Lille and the Croatian is aghast that it was not accepted.

Lovren, also a target for Arsenal – now believes that he has “no business staying at Southampton”, despite the south-coast side telling the Reds that he is not for sale.

“Liverpool sent the offer and the club haven’t informed me,” he told Sportske Novosti, “not even about the subsequent Liverpool bids. That wasn’t right.

“I found out about the bid from other people which disappointed me and I realised I’ve got no business staying at Southampton.

“Liverpool sent a £20 million offer and [Southampton] paid £9m for me so they would’ve earned twice the amount.

“At this point, I don’t know what I’ll do and I don’t like it. It was unbelievable that a few days ago I had an offer of £20m. It was in the morning and by the afternoon the club had said I was not for sale. Frankly, my head is already at Liverpool.”

Lovren is furious at what he sees as a giving-up of the Saints’ lofty Champions League ambitions, with manager Mauricio Pochettino allowed to leave for Tottenham and the club’s stars sold.

“Look, I’d gladly stay in Southampton if the club had any ambitions, if they kept the key players,” he continued. “Not even the Liverpool bid would have dissuaded me [in that case].

“When I decided to go to Southampton, many people were surprised but I went because the people at the club had great ambition. They gave me assurances about the project – the former chairman, Nicola Cortese, and Pochettino convinced me. They gave me incredible confidence.

“When I began training there, I realised they had a very good team. They promised to buy two more players – they bought [Dani] Osvaldo and [Victor] Wanyama. They are great players. The aim was to qualify for Europe, to get into the Europa League at least.

But he added of Cortese’s departure as chief executive in January: “No-one knew who would take over the club. Suspicions were raised.

“I asked Mauricio what was happening and he couldn’t say whether or not he would stay on or make promises for the next five or six years about investment in the club, challenging for the Champions League, making new signings or keeping key players.

“It was because of that I’d agreed to sign for Southampton. When the chairman left and Pochettino was going too – as early as April – I realised things had fallen apart.”

Lovren says that playing at Anfield last season – where he scored the only goal in a Southampton victory – first attracted him to the Reds, from whom he says Saints want £25m.

“Liverpool is one of the biggest clubs in the world,” the defender enthused. “Only Real Madrid have as many fans around the world. The last time I played at Anfield, I got chills when I heard ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’. I would like to listen to it all the time.

“[Southampton] are now looking for £25m but I don’t think they’ll get it.”

The defender has become the latest figure at Camp Nou to endorse the Uruguayan’s abilities, while offering his sympathy to team-mate Neymar following his World Cup-ending injury

Barcelona defender Marc Bartra has described Luis Suarez as “a very complete” forward and says he would be welcome at Camp Nou.

The Spanish giants are in advanced talks over a deal for the Uruguay and Liverpol star as they prepare to launch an €88 million offer for the player.

Suarez will miss the start of the 2014-15 season after receiving a four-month ban from all football activity for his bite on Giorgio Chiellini during the World Cup, but Bartra is adamant the 27-year-old would be a great signing for the club.

“For me he’s a great player and, if he comes, he would be welcome. He is a very complete striker,” he told reporters at a sponsor event.

Suarez would become Barca’s fourth signing of the summer following the arrivals of Ivan Rakitic and goalkeepers Claudio Bravo and Marc-Andre ter Stegen – three players Bartra believes will be key additions.

“Bravo knows La Liga well and that’s good. Ter Stegen is a great keeper from what I’ve seen, he saves a lot and is good with his feet. Rakitic is very complete and I am sure he will adapt quickly to the team.”

Barcelona are also believed to be in the market for a central defender following the retirement of Carles Puyol, with Paris Saint-Germain youngster Marquinhos among those linked with a move, but Bartra is not concerned by the prospect of increased competition for places.

“With the loss of Puyi, it’s normal that someone comes in his place. I’m calm, I’m eager to start, and whoever comes in, I’ll try to help him. Whoever he is, I’m eager to win my place,” he said.

Finally, Bartra backed team-mate Neymar to come back even stronger after suffering a back injury which has ruled him out of the rest of the World Cup.

“It’s a shame because he could have given more at the Wold Cup. Knowing him, I’m sure he is annoyed, because they are losing the best player at the World Cup,” he added.

“I hope he recovers as soon as possible and can start with us. I’m sure this will make him stronger.”

The Barcelona forward can revitalise the north Londoners’ immediate fortunes while Liverpool will be searching for a Luis Suarez replacement

By Wayne Veysey | UK Correspondent

ALEXIS SANCHEZ COULD BE WENGER’S DEFINING SIGNING

Arsenal’s two-year search to replace Robin van Persie has been a lengthy and frustrating one.

But with a €40 million deal for Alexis Sanchez edging tantalisingly closer, the Gunners could finally have a forward worthy of following in the footsteps of the Dutchman and his iconic predecessors, Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Ian Wright.

Signing Sanchez would transform not only Arsenal’s front line but also their immediate fortunes.

A team who, with Olivier Giroud as their lone spearhead, too often look slow against marquee opponents, especially during Theo Walcott’s frequent injury absences, are increasingly confident of having the luxury of calling on a forward capable of scaring all defences.

A technically gifted speedster with an eye for goal, Alexis is set to make way at Barcelona to free up funds for the €88m signing of Luis Suarez.

Yet his transfer-market availability is no reflection of his standing. Only Lionel Messi scored more than the Chilean’s 21 Barcelona goals last season and he was a player in demand even before a series of outstanding World Cup displays further enhanced his reputation.

The prospect of Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil, Santi Cazorla, Jack Wilshere and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain linking up with Alexis is a lip-smackingly enticing one.

Gunners fans, wary of Arsene Wenger’s innate caution in the market and the number of deals for strikers that have fallen through for the club in the last two years, could be forgiven for reining in their excitement.

Only when the white smoke starts puffing out of the Emirates Stadium can the celebrations at an audacious signing begin.

TIME FOR LIVERPOOL TO FIND SUAREZ REPLACEMENT

It has been a whirlwind start to the window for Liverpool.

They have completed the signings of Adam Lallana, Emre Can and Rickie Lambert and are close to finalising a deal to sell Suarez to Barcelona.

With the Uruguayan’s move set to be a straight cash deal, the focus will turn to the club finding a blue-chip replacement.

Accepting that Suarez is irreplaceable, Liverpool would have known when they agreed the release clause that was inserted in the Uruguayan’s contract last December that there was a reasonable chance that it would be triggered this summer by a more wealthy and glamorous club.

It is the task of Liverpool’s tier of recruitment executives, working from the information of their network of scouts, to source the next Suarez – easier said than done in a global market where secret superstars are virtually non-existent.

Highly promising Belgium striker Divock Origi is set to join from Lille, although a mooted loan back may now be on the backburner following the Suarez developments.

Yet Liverpool need a ready-made forward star rather than a potential one if they are not to move backwards following their astonishing improvement last season.

Alexis, two years younger and €48m cheaper than Suarez, could be that man, although there is little optimism at Anfield that he will choose Liverpool ahead of his other suitors.

With money to burn, the onus is now on Liverpool to recruit a mobile and technically gifted goalscorer who will fit into Brendan Rodgers’s playing style.

Assuming that Lambert will be third choice behind Daniel Sturridge and Suarez’s successor, the Merseysiders now need to demonstrate that their knack for procuring top-notch attacking talent remains.