23 Aug 2016

Anfield Update: Liverpool keen to seal surprise transfer for 'spectacular' £75k-a-week international powerhouse

For a brief period Last season, the Dejan Lovren-Mamadou Sakho defensive partnership appeared to be flourishing, but one drug-related fiasco and two transfers later, and it's all change at Anfield. The arrivals of Joel Matip and Ragnar Klavan have seemingly pushed Sakho down the pecking order, and despite Liverpool's ongoing defensive issues, it seems the French defender is now surplus to requirements.

According to the Daily Mail:

"Liverpool are considering letting Mamadou Sakho leave Anfield on loan. [Klopp] would not stand in his way if a suitable move that suited all parties arose".

Make no mistake: if Sakho leaves it will be the kiss of death for his Liverpool career. No senior player sent out on loan has *ever* returned to the club to command a regular first-team place, and I doubt Sakho will be the exception to that rule.

For a player of Sakho's stature (former PSG captain, and regular France international), being farmed out on loan by a team that finished 8th in the league will (IMO) be an embarrassment, and I suspect he'd see it as a personal affront. After all, you don't see Chelsea, Man City, or Arsenal sending senior defenders like Cahill, Kompany or Koscielny on loan.

On his day, Sakho can be a 'really spectacular' defender (Klopp's words) but unfortunately, he is increasingly injury prone:

* 7 separate injuries since signing for the club (2x thigh; 1x hip; 2x knee; 1x hamstring; 1x achilles).

* 301 days on the sidelines (54 games missed so far).

Like Daniel Agger, Sakho is massively unreliable, and it's impossible to build a solid, enduring defensive unit around a player who is constantly injured. As such, I support Klopp 100% on this potential transfer. Both Klavan and Matip have significantly better injury records than Sakho, and in the end, that is an important (and deciding) factor.

Ultimately, the club can dress it up as a rehabilitation loan and/or a move to 'get his career back on track', but the reality is that sending Sakho on loan is a massive vote of no-confidence, from which there is no return (just ask Carroll, Markovic, Ilori, Alberto, Balotelli, and countless others).

^ Reportedly on £75k-a-week.


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