Mamadou Sakho has been left out of Didier Deschamps’ latest France squad, provoking speculation over his future at Liverpool.
Having not featured in the first three games of the 2015/16 for Liverpool, centre-back Mamadou Sakho has been omitted from Didier Deschamps’ latest France squad.
The 25-year-old was not included in Brendan Rodgers’ match-day squad for the Reds clashes with Stoke City and AFC Bournemouth.
He then found himself on the substitutes’ bench for Monday night’s visit to the Emirates Stadium to take on Arsenal.
This has clearly prompted Deschamps to look elsewhere in selecting his 23-man squad to take on Portugal and Serbia next month.
Raphael Varane, Laurent Koscielny, Eliaquim Mangala and Kurt Zouma have been all been selected over Sakho.
On Sakho’s omission Deschamps declared that “it’s not a warning.”
“It’s an important player who finds himself in a difficult sporting situation,” he continued.
“[To] play international matches when he has not played for his club for more than a month …it’s complicated.”
Though Deschamps stressed that this was not a warning over Sakho’s international future, he concluded that: “I hope the situation will improve.”
This is a clear signal that if Sakho does not establish himself as first-choice centre-back under Rodgers at Liverpool, his position within the French national team could be under threat.
Dejan Lovren has assumed the role of Rodgers’ favoured left-sided centre-back this season, and the Reds have kept three clean sheets in their opening three games.
However, following speculation surrounding Sakho’s future on Merseyside, the club are said to have offered the former Paris Saint-Germain man a new long-term contract.
This would see Sakho’s wages increased from £75,000 a week to £100,000 a week, making him one of Liverpool’s highest earners.
However, Andy Hunter of the Guardian reported that “Sakho is likely to see whether his first-team prospects improve before responding.”
This international omission may prompt Sakho to consider his future further.
With the 2016 European Championships fast approaching, Sakho will want to cement his place in Deschamps side, with the tournament taking place in France next summer.
Liverpool are reported to have rejected loan offers from AS Roma and Bayer Leverkusen for the centre-back already this summer.
Rodgers may need to steel himself for more offers following this development.
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