Mamadou Sakho’s tenure at Liverpool should be completed during the winter window. Although many clubs have been linked with a move for the former Paris Saint-Germain defender, nothing concrete has taken place so far.
That all could change as Sky Sports reports that La Liga side Sevilla wants to sign the French defender. Sakho could not play against the Europa League champions in the final last season as he was suspended by UEFA for a substance-related matter but he could be willing to make the switch to the Andalusian side.
There could be one hurdle in the way and that is Liverpool wanting a permanent deal for Sakho rather than a loan one. The Reds also want more than £20m for the 26-year-old which will certainly be a tough ask for any club that does not play in the Premier League.
A lack of playing time hurts Sakho’s chances of moving
Had Sakho been a regular player for the Reds this season, the £20m fee asked by Liverpool would not have been that big a problem but the defender hasn’t played a single senior level match this campaign.
Sakho had been banished to the U23 setup after falling out with manager Jurgen Klopp during the preseason and the German is in no mood to let him return to the side. Even when the Reds were in trouble with injuries to their regular defenders, it was Lucas Leiva who was played in the back line rather and the Frenchman was not called up.
The deal also has to get the approval of Sakho, something that might not be easy. The Frenchman was a target for Stoke City on a loan deal in the summer but the 26-year-old rejected the move and stuck around at Anfield.
Sakho might have thought that he would get into the good books of the German tactician but that has not transpired so far this season. The situation might not change much in the future as well and this time, the Frenchman might just take up the option to leave the Reds.
While Sevilla does seem a decent destination, Sakho could be in line for a move back to France with PSG, Lille and even Nice having shown interest in the defender.
It certainly has been a sad end to a promising career for the Frenchman at Liverpool. There were high expectations from Sakho when he was signed by Brendan Rodgers but it seems his transgressions off the pitch have certainly cost him on it.
