Dejan Lovren hands in Southampton transfer request amid interest from Liverpool



Defender Dejan Lovren has handed in a transfer request at Southampton

Saints stopper has been linked with a move to Liverpool

Lovren has cited wanting to play Champions League football and changes in management as his reasons for wanting to leave

Rickie Lambert has already signed for Liverpool, while Adam Lallana wants to follow his England teammate



Dejan Lovren has submitted a formal written transfer request demanding to leave Southampton.



Sportsmail Online can reveal that the central defender wrote an email to executive director Les Reed and chairman Ralph Krueger on May 30 with notice of his desire to leave St Mary's this summer.



In the email, the defender outlined his ambition to play Champions League football next season and wants to move this summer.

VIDEO Scroll down to watch Lovren transfer request a day before the World Cup opener



I'll get my Croat! Dejan Lovren has handed in a formal transfer request at Southampton

Despite Lovren's determination to leave in this transfer window that the club have yet to acknowledge receipt of his signed email.



Lovren, who joined Southampton at the start of last season, claims the changes to management have also affected his decision.



Executive chairman Nicola Cortese left in January and manager Mauricio Pochettino has quit to become the new Tottenham boss.



The club have yet to appoint a manager to succeed Pochettino, but have always insisted cash would be made available to the new coach to strengthen the team.



Lovren held talks with Saints at the end of the season after Liverpool, who are among a number of clubs who want to sign the Croatian, made their interest known.



Red alert! The Croatia defender represented his nation in Brazil during the 2014 World Cup

He then followed up that meeting with an email detailing the reasons behind his decision to leave Southampton.



Lovren, 24, was signed from Lyon last summer for £7m is determined to quit the club to stay in the Barclays Premier League with a top four team.



The defender, who was outstanding in his first season at the club, is among a number of players who want to leave.



Captain Adam Lallana wants to move to Liverpool after the World Cup and young left-back Luke Shaw is on the verge of a switch to Manchester United when he returns from Brazil.



Striker Rickie Lambert, also on international duty with England at the World Cup, has already sealed a £4m move to Liverpool.