Recent newspaper reports suggest that Southampton could be ready to make a move for Liverpool’s Mamadou Sakho. 

Saints captain Jose Fonte has supposedly handed in a transfer request and a replacement will need to come into the squad and fill that big gap.

I don’t see the point in keeping the thirty-three year old if he’s desperate to quit St Mary’s. It seems as if the Euro 2016 winner has had his head turned by either Man United or Everton.

In Sahko they’ll get an experienced defender that still has time on his side to reach his prime.

If I’m being honest, I believe Mamadou is actually Liverpool’s best natural defender and his presence in their team could’ve seen them closer to Chelsea in the league table. But obviously his relationship with Reds boss Jurgen Klopp has totally broken-down and is now beyond repair.

The Frenchman is now out the picture at Anfield and Liverpool will be willing sellers.

Southampton will be aware that other sides will be monitoring Sahko’s situation.

But the Saints should have a march on other interested clubs.

They’ll offer Liverpool a permanent deal and I’d imagine that Klopp would prefer to wave goodbye to Sakho knowing that he’d not see him coming back to Melwood in the summer. Most foreign sides will probably want to bring him in on loan first.

For Sahko, Southampton might be appealing because they’ll offer him first team football. They’re also a club that regularly finishes in the Premier League’s top half and who will sell a player for the right price. At St Mary’s he’d also be working under fellow Frenchman Claude Puel, a coach well respected for his time coaching in Ligue 1.

Southampton would be getting a pacy centre-back, who is also be a battling warrior. He was a consistent starter under Didier Deschamps and has twenty-eight caps for Les Bleus.

Sakho is also a player who has played for big clubs like PSG and Liverpool, his experience could be vital in replacing Fonte.

He could form a strong partnership with Virgil van Dijk and the Saints could use that as a base to challenge for a top seven finish. He can also fill in at left-back if called upon. Although I’d imagine that Puel will also be looking out for a new main striker this month.

Of course some fans will be questioning Sahko’s temperament. They’ll look at his falling out with Klopp and see that as a reason not to sign him. But all managers are different. Sahko is obviously a boisterous, flashy and over the top character and that seems to have rubbed Jurgen up the wrong way.

In reality Mamadou Sakho is an extremely passionate footballer, who’ll give his all on the field. Yes he has mistakes in him but most players do. He just needs a manager who understands him and believes in him. Plus surely he has a point to prove and wants to be playing for club and country again.

He could be a massive signing for Southampton if they can get the powerhouse defender down to the south coast.

Posted on January 7th, 2017 by scott
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