Liverpool transfer news: Dejan Lovren completes £10.9m move to Zenit Saint Petersburg
Dejan Lovren has completed a £10.9million move to Zenit Saint Petersburg, Liverpool have confirmed.
The former Southampton centre-back joined the Reds in 2014 and made 185 appearances for the club, scoring eight goals.
His time at Anfield comes to an end with Lovren boasting Premier League and Champions League successes, as well as claiming silverware in the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup.
A Liverpool statement read: “Everybody at Liverpool Football Club would like to thank Dejan for his contribution over the years and wish him all the very best in his new challenge.”
Jurgen Klopp paid a glowing tribute to the 31-year-old defender after his departure was confirmed.
"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," the German told liverpoolfc.com.
"When he was fit, he was very, very, very often in the team. A great player and a great person.
"Really good, in the air a machine, and I really liked working together with him.
"It will be interesting to follow Zenit Saint Petersburg now. I wish him the best of luck."
Lovren was set to enter the final year of his contract and, although Liverpool had an option to extend that by a further 12 months, they opted against doing so.
After last summer’s Champions League success, Lovren was linked with a summer move but decided to stay despite him no longer being first choice.
In the last couple of years he has been plagued by untimely and niggly injuries which have kept him out at key periods.
Lovren last started a match in February, Liverpool’s first league defeat of the campaign at Watford, and his longest consecutive run of games this season is four back in December.