Roma Reportedly Top List of Mamadou Sakho Suitors

Despite impressing at Crystal Palace, it remains a near certainty that Mamadou Sakho will be sold by Liverpool in the summer, with the club having briefed friendly journalists about their intentions to sell and their hopes of finding a club willing to pay at least £30M for the French international.

That club is unlikely to be Palace, who in theory might be able to afford the player thanks to the Premier League's inflated spending power but would not likely appeal to the 27-year-old as a long-term home. In fact, until recently many had believed Southampton would be his most likely destination.

Recently, though, the rumblings have Southampton looking to Pontus Jansson as their first choice replacement for Virgil van Dijk. And now, reports in both England and Italy are connecting Sakho to Roma, claiming the Serie A club's scouts have been watching and that the club is very interested.

Similar to Southampton, Sakho would be arriving—if he arrived—in Italy as a replacement for a departing defensive starter, and in Roma's case, it is Kostas Manolas who is rumoured to be on his way out, with Inter, Chelsea, and Arsenal all linked to the 25-year-old Greek international.

On paper at least, it would seem an appealing destination for Sakho, offering a chance to start for a title challenging side in one of Europe's top four leagues and to play in the Champions League next season, though Sakho's £30M price tag would make him for costly for most non-English sides.