DEJAN Lovren could soon become the third Saints player to move to Liverpool this summer.

Reports in the centre half’s native Croatia suggest the player is on the brink of following Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana to Anfield.

The transfer fee for Lovren, who joined Saints for £8.5m from Lyon last summer, is believed to be around the £16m mark.

If that were the case, it would take the amount Saints have banked this summer to around the £70m mark.

Lallana (£25m) and Lambert (£4.5m) have been joined by Luke Shaw, who moved to Manchester United last month for around £27m.

Lovren recently said his heart was set on a move to Anfield after handing in a transfer request prior to the World Cup starting.

He did report back at St Mary’s last weekend, though, and joined new boss Ronald Koeman on Saints’ pre season tour of Holland and Belgium.

The 25-year-old didn’t appear in either of Saints’ two friendlies, though.

Saints are being linked with Aston Villa’s Dutch defender Ron Vlaar as a potential replacement for Lovren.