Germany World Cup winner Lothas Matthaus admits he urged Bayer Leverkusen to raid the Premier League for a defensive signing.

Matthaus says he told Bayer chief Rudi Voller to try for Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren and Tottenham's Jan Vertonghen.

Discussing Bayern Munich's Jerome Boateng, he revealed: "I told him: why don't you buy him?

"You are short of options in defence and he is available.

"There were also other names at stake, from Lovren to Vertonghen."