EXCLUSIVE By Pete O’Rourke

Dejan Lovren is set to remain at Liverpool this season as Roma are only willing to sign the defender on loan, Football Insider understands.

Roma are interested in signing Croatian international Lovren before the transfer window closes in Italy on September 2nd, but they want to take the centre-back on loan with an option to buy.

However, a Liverpool source has told Football Insider that the club does not want to loan out Lovren and will only consider selling the defender if they are to let him leave Anfield.

That leaves a potential move to Roma in tatters as the Giallorossi claim they cannot afford to buy Lovren this summer with Liverpool demanding a fee in the region of £15m for the 30-year-old.

Roma are hoping they can reach a compromise with Liverpool otherwise they will pursue other targets.

Lovren was left out of the squad for Wednesday’s European Super Cup final against Chelsea amid talks between Liverpool and Roma.

Former Southampton defender Lovren effectively finds himself as fourth-choice centre-back at Liverpool this season behind Virgil Van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez.

In other Liverpool news, offer tabled as Reds in advanced talks to sign 6ft 4in colossus.