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If Brendan Rodgers needs a fitting example of Dejan Lovren’s ability then September 21, 2013 would be a good place to start.

The Reds fell to their first defeat of the season and in turn saw their attempt to make a best ever start to the Premier League ruined.

Southampton were the visitors to Anfield on that day and it was Daniel Agger who lost his bearings allowing the big Croatian to produce an unorthodox but firm header that would unexpectedly ruin Liverpool ’s day.

The Reds played with four centre-halves in that game but not one could prevent them from being undone at a set piece.

How apt that the player who highlighted Liverpool’s defensive frailties could now be just the man to fix them.

As reported in the ECHO last month Rodgers is interested in signing the commanding defender this summer – but is yet to table a formal offer.

That, however, could soon change after the 24-year-old handed in a formal transfer request earlier this week .

But what does he have to offer Liverpool?

Patrick Dinham, sports writer for Sportsbeat and Southampton season ticket holder, has seen his meteoric rise from Lyon squad player to a Southampton stalwart.

“He is our commander and defensively he is our leader,” Dinham said of the Croatian international.

“To lose him would be a massive blow for us and arguably it would be a blow felt much harder than the potential losses of Luke Shaw and Adam Lallana.

“His organisation is what was key for us last season because he played alongside Jose Fonte for much of the campaign and it improved his game enormously playing alongside Lovren.

“The reason why I say losing him would be massive is because he was at the heart of a transformation of a once-leaky back line into one of the meanest in the league.

“His English is smooth so communication is no issue but the only question for me is whether or not he could replicate his leadership qualities when moving up to a top four side like Liverpool.

"No doubt he wants to test himself against the best in Europe and that's a big factor in his desire to leave.

“But he is capable of making that step up because at 24 he is experienced enough to be trusted but young enough to much more than a stopgap.

"His presence at the back is something that was hugely impressive because his ability in the air is just second to none.

“I’m sure if you look at the statistics he does win a lot of his aerial duels and he is incredibly strong.”

At just 24 Lovren also has the rare mixture of experience but still with his best years ahead of him.

He cost Saints £8.5m when joining from Lyon last summer, and enjoyed a stellar campaign.

While at Lyon he got a flavour of the Champions League and this is another factor in his favour.

Reports suggest that he has three years left on his contract and that could mean the centre-back would command a transfer fee upwards of £10m.

But Dinham reckons this shouldn’t deter Rodgers from making a move.

“It was a big outlay for us to bring Lovren in and he came to us amid some apprehension from the supporters,” he added.

“You never really know what you’re going with a defender from abroad and he was our record buy for a defender.

“At Lyon he struggled to adapt and seven red cards in three years was testament to that.

“But the move to the south coast liberated him and he exceeded our expectations definitely.

“He was our most consistent performer last season and I don’t think he’s changed his game much from his time in France it’s just that referees are different here.

“As solid as he though there is plenty of room for improvement particularly on the passing side of his game but he his age on his side to grow into potentially one of the best centre backs in the league.”

If Lovren is looking for advice on what life can be like on Merseyside then his former centre-back partner and idol Igor Biscan would be a good start.

The south coast club are, as yet, to respond to his transfer request and with the defender away at the World Cup a deal is far from advanced.

But with no team in the top five conceding more goals than the Reds last term, Lovren could be just the man to transform another leaky backline.

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