Dejan Lovren has hinted that he could stay at Liverpool beyond the end of the season by talking up the importance of having a mixture of experience and youth in the squad.

James Milner and Adam Lallana are the only outfield players older than Lovren in the current Liverpool squad, and the Croatian has fallen down the pecking order behind Joe Gomez and Joel Matip this season.

The 30-year-old's contract expires next summer and he has been linked with an exit at the end of the current campaign, but he believes that the current squad is perfectly balanced.

"It's important to have a mix between really young players, the middle [age] players and the experienced players. I think we have it, this is the great balance," Lovren told Liverpool's official website.

"We are used to playing big finals and the big games and we know how to manage it. Even when we are 1-0 down we know what to do. This is why it's important to have a balance in the team.

"If we keep the important players and the core of the team here for many years, we will only grow."

AC Milan and Roma are among the clubs to have been linked with a move for Lovren.