Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has defended the club's decision to hand Dejan Lovren a new long-term deal worth a reported £100,000 a week.
Lovren put pen to paper on a contract extension that is understood to keep him at Anfield until 2021 earlier today, although the deal has been greeted with a negative reaction by many fans.
The 27-year-old was Liverpool's hero a year ago when he scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner against Borussia Dortmund to send the Reds into the semi-finals of the Europa League, but more recently he has drawn criticism for his performance during Sunday's 2-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace.
"In a situation like this I know how football supporters think: if you had asked them after the Dortmund game they would have said 'Give him a 20-year contract'. When you see the Crystal Palace game they think 'Can we find another team who could have him?'. The truth is in between. In a situation like this you have to look outside," he told reporters.
"If Dejan played for another club you'd think about signing him and then you think what you'd have to pay for him and it would be a big number of money. Giving him a new contract, working with him, he is 27 years old - the best time for a centre-half is still to come. I don't know a lot about it but I heard he had a difficult start at Liverpool but he has really settled so that's really good.
"He is physically strong, quick and a good footballer. Sometimes decision-making could be better but no-one out there - and we watch a lot - is perfect. We really think he can help us a lot and we can help him in these few decisive parts of his game and that is what we want to do. I am so happy about the news."
Lovren has made 25 Premier League appearances for Liverpool this season, scoring two goals.
Barney Corkhill
