Mohamed Salah and Dejan Lovren Reunite Ahead of Liverpool’s Pre-Season
Two familiar faces have been brought back together as Liverpool enjoy a brief period of downtime before flying to Singapore for their pre-season friendlies. Mohamed Salah and Dejan Lovren, who were famously joined at the hip while the defender was at the club, met up for the first time since his Anfield departure in 2020.
The Reds have completed their first two pre-season friendlies in Germany and have a brief break before heading to Singapore on Thursday for a further two as they bid to get in shape for the upcoming campaign. Lovren shared an image on Instagram of the two embracing as they reconvened after a three-year absence from each other, captioning the post: “After three long years not seeing each other, finally we found each other again.”
The ex-Reds centre-back left for Zenit Saint Petersburg following Liverpool’s record-breaking Premier League title win in 2019/20 and has since moved on to Ligue 1 to join Lyon. Lovren has kept in touch with the Egyptian King since leaving the club, sending him a congratulatory message after his 100th league goal for the Reds back in 2021.
On his Instagram story, the Croatian uploaded a video behind the scenes of what looked to be a film set as it appeared the two were shooting an advert of some description. Salah also shared a sneaky video of his old team-mate tucking into some food as they both relaxed ahead of what will be a big season for both players.
The two clearly still have a strong relationship despite having spent the last three seasons apart, although the separation clearly hasn’t impacted Salah’s eye for goal as he has gone on to net 92 times since his colleague’s exit. Liverpool still have plenty to do before the real business kicks off at Stamford Bridge on August 13, with friendlies against Leicester, Bayern Munich and Darmstadt separating them from the start of the 2023/24 season.
A History of Success
Lovren and Salah were part of a formidable Liverpool side that won the Champions League in 2019 and then went on to break records in the Premier League the following season. The pair formed a strong bond during their time together at Anfield, with Lovren often seen celebrating with Salah after he scored goals.
The Croatian defender was an integral part of Jurgen Klopp’s team, playing a key role in their success. He made 185 appearances for the Reds during his five-year spell at the club, helping them to win six trophies in total.
Salah, meanwhile, has gone from strength to strength since joining Liverpool in 2017. The Egyptian forward has scored an impressive 128 goals in just 197 appearances for the club, making him one of the most prolific strikers in Europe. He has also won numerous individual awards, including the Premier League Golden Boot twice and the PFA Player of the Year award in 2018.
A Lasting Friendship
The reunion between Salah and Lovren is a testament to their strong friendship and shows that even though they are no longer teammates, they still remain close. It is clear that they both still have a great deal of respect for each other and it is heartening to see them reunite after so long apart.
The pair will now be looking ahead to their respective pre-season campaigns as they prepare for what promises to be an exciting season for both players. Salah will be hoping to fire Liverpool to more success this season while Lovren will be looking to make an impact at Lyon as they look to challenge for honours in Ligue 1.
No matter what happens this season, it is clear that Salah and Lovren’s friendship will remain strong and that their reunion is something that will live long in the memory.