Allardyce Talks Potential Sakho Deal

There seems to be no way back for Mamadou Sakho at Liverpool, but will he continue to be a Crystal Palace player next season? Sakho is on loan at struggling Palace after an agreement was reached to take over his wages and pay a £2 million loan fee for a handful of months.

The French centre back has started two games and helped his new team to clean sheets when there have only been four clean sheets in the club’s previous 30 games this season in all competitions. It's easy to see why talk has shifted to keeping Sakho beyond the end of the season after making such a big impression.

“It would be a big negotiation at the end of the season if we were to stay in the Premier League,” Allardyce said. "At this moment in time Mama has chosen Crystal Palace to play first-team football, I think he has settled into the environment exceptionally well.

“He has worked extremely hard at getting himself fitter because he had not played a competitive game all season and he has shown what a good defender he is, and his capabilities on the ball - in possession he has been exceptionally good.”

Decent centre backs with Premier League experience can cost around £10 million as seen with James Tomkins moving to Crystal Palace from West Ham United last summer. José Fonte joined West Ham for £8 million in January at the age of 33, but Liverpool struggled to find clubs willing to match a £20 million asking price in the mid-season window.

Sakho is a good defender with leadership qualities and composure on the ball, and further strong performances should lead to Liverpool receiving a decent fee for his services. Jürgen Klopp will naturally be keen to reinvest that in strengthening his squad in what will almost certainly be a busy summer.