New Liverpool signing Dejan Lovren forced to train with the under-21s after US visa mix-up
Former Southampton defender must wait to meet his new Kop teammates
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Your support makes all the difference.Liverpool's new £20m signing Dejan Lovren has been unable to join up with his new teammates after the Reds failed to secure a visa in time.
The Croatia international has joined former Southampton teammates Adam Lallana and Rickie Lambert at Anfield but, while they tour the United States with the rest of Brendan Rodgers' squad, Lovren has been forced to stay in England.
Last season's Premier League runners-up, who are set to return to the Champions League this Autumn, had hoped the 25-year-old could meet up with them in America but Lovren was told he would have to wait until the Reds return to British shores for a visa.
"Unfortunately I could not get a visa straight away", he told Croatian newspaper Sportske Novosti. "Therefore I can not join my team-mates in the US I am sad because of that."
After being informed at the US embassy that he would have to wait until to ten days for the correct visa, the former Lyon man will now prepare for the coming season with the youth side until the seniors return home.
"Of course it's not good that I have not joined the team's preparations in the US,' said the defender. "However, I have plenty of days until their return from the tour.
"I will train with the Under 21 team in Liverpool. Brendan Rodgers will send a programme for me to practice."
The Reds completed the signing of Divock Origi last night for £10m but the Belgian forward will be loaned back to Lille for the next twelve months. Rodgers, as a result, is still chasing a new striker to compliment Lambert and Daniel Sturridge up front.
"There's a strategy behind what we're doing," the former Swansea City boss explained from New York, where the Reds meet Manchester City in the International Champions Cup on Wednesday evening.
"There's no doubt we will look where we can, and if we can, to bring in another striker."
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