The Croatian made his intentions clear that he wanted to leave St Mary’s this summer but has stated he had better options available than the one on Merseyside

Dejan Lovren has revealed he had more lucrative offers than joining Liverpool, but insists a move to Anfield was the only choice for him.

The Croatia international became the third player to leave Southampton for Liverpool during the transfer window, following the paths previously trodden by Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana.

Lovren’s move was the subject of much media speculation, with the defender publicly declaring his intention to leave Southampton last month.

The 25-year-old got his wish in late July and ahead of Sunday’s opening Premier League clash against his former club, Lovren claimed he had options to move elsewhere.

“I had better offers financially but from the first day I said I want to come to Liverpool,” he said.

“I want to achieve something here because I know this club is big and Brendan Rodgers is a great manager.

“There is a lot of talent here – amazing players – and last season they showed they can do something. I’m really confident in this team.”

Lovren scored the winner for Southampton in a 1-0 victory in the corresponding fixture last season, and insists he is focussed solely on the job at hand.

“To play them in the first game was destiny,” Lovren said. “I will just have to concentrate on my game, on our style and I won’t think about Southampton.

“Maybe there is some regret with how I left Southampton. I said that I wanted to leave because Liverpool is a massive club and maybe I will have this chance just one time in my life.

“It was not so easy at the beginning. It took a lot of time. But at the end everybody agreed and I shook their hands and said goodbye so now it is finished.”

The departure of Luis Suarez to Barcelona leaves the Reds with only two out-and-out centre forwards, though the manager admits that it is difficult to land a “top-level” candidate

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers says the Premier League club intend to pursue a big-name striker until the transfer window closes.

Monaco sharpshooter Radamel Falcao and Paris Saint-Germain forward Edinson Cavani have both been linked to the Reds, who are on the lookout for a replacement for €88 million Barcelona signing Luis Suarez.

New recruit Rickie Lambert and Daniel Sturridge are the only two recognised strikers at Anfield and the Liverpool boss is determined to land a leading centre forward, even if it means deadline-day madness on September 1.

“The money is there – and we will look to improve at the top end of the field until the very end of the window,” Rodgers told reporters ahead of Sunday’s Premier League opener against Southampton at Anfield.

“It’s not easy to get a top-level striker, no, but we have to keep looking. We certainly need something because we haven’t brought in another striker so far, apart from Rickie Lambert.

“You just never know what will happen in that last week – the window will always throw up something.

“We will persevere and the boys are working hard behind the scenes to see what information we can get on the availability of players.”

Liverpool also secured the services of young striker Divock Origi this summer but the Belgium international will remain on loan at Lille for the 2014-15 season.

The former Swansea City manager was quoted as saying the England international starlet is similar to the three-time Ballon d’Or winner in that he gets fans on their feet

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has denied comparing Raheem Sterling with Lionel Messi ahead of the new Premier League campaign.

The teenage winger has earned rave reviews during pre-season as he looks to build on an impressive 2013-14 in which he became a key cog in the Reds’ push towards the league title.

And though Rodgers was quoted as saying that, like Messi, Sterling is the type of player who gets supporters off their seats when he finds himself on the ball, he has now denied he made those claims, while he also revealed he knows nothing of an apparent new contract for the England international.

“I didn’t say Raheem Sterling was like Lionel Messi, I was a bit shocked to read I’d ‘said’ that. He’s a great young talent, though,” he told reporters.

“Sterling is just one of a number of young players here with so much potential, we’re looking forward to seeing their developments.

“I’ve not heard anything about Sterling being offered a new contract,” he added.

Sterling is set to become one of the Anfield club’s leading lights following the departure of Luis Suarez to Barcelona, with Rodgers having also brought in seven new players as he looks to compete on both a domestic and European level.

And the former Swansea City boss believes that his work over the summer will set the squad up for years to come, though he admitted he is still looking for a striker to replace Suarez.

“We’re nearly done with transfers. There’s one or two more things to complete. We needed to develop the squad this year, add more depth.

“The players we’ve brought in will allow us to deal with injuries and more games. We needed to bring in players this summer.

“This summer will probably be our biggest transfer window for the next two years.

“We’re looking to make this a sustainable team for the next five to 10 years. There’s lots of young talent.

“We’ll look to improve that top end of the field, but if the right player doesn’t come along, we’ll play with what we’ve got.”

Rodgers also confirmed that a deal to bring Sevilla left-back Alberto Moreno to the club is nearing completion as his squad takes shape ahead of Sunday’s curtain-raiser against Southampton.

“The Alberto Moreno deal is to be completed very soon and he’ll be a terrific signing for us if that’s done.”