Jurgen Klopp hasn’t ruled out a return for Liverpool outcast Mamadou Sakho next season, with the centre-back currently on loan at Crystal Palace.
Sakho spent the first half of the campaign with the Liverpool U23s, before leaving to join Sam Allardyce’s Eagles at the end of the January transfer window.
After a lengthy spell out of senior competitive action, Sakho made his return to the field in Palace’s 1-0 win at home to Middlesbrough last month, keeping an impressive clean sheet.
The Frenchman went on to shine in their 2-0 victory away to West Brom on Saturday afternoon, before Liverpool’s clash with Arsenal at Anfield.
Speaking to French outlet SFR Sport, Klopp addressed Sakho’s future, but remained tightlipped as to the possibility of him returning to Merseyside.
“That is nothing we have to decide in this moment. So that is it,” he said.
“He made his first appearance after a really long time [on February 25], and so all we have to do is to be focussed on the season and this squad here.
“I will not talk to you about potential transfers we make, so it makes no sense to talk about players we gave on loan. We will see.”
It still remains unlikely that Sakho will take his place in Klopp’s squad for 2017/18, but his early form on loan with Palace does highlight the quality that Liverpool would be throwing away.
After Saturday’s win at the Hawthorns, Allardyce heaped praise on his new defensive loanee, and his partnership with summer arrival James Tomkins.
“Both centre-backs were really, really solid,” the former England manager explained.
“Mamadou Sakho hasn’t played a game for a long time, but after his first two games, I am looking forward to seeing him carry on.
“James Tomkins didn’t put a foot wrong again and they helped to provide the platform to win the game.”
Sakho is certainly operating below his station at Selhurst Park, having previously turned out for both Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain, as well as making 28 appearances for France.
But his time in East Croydon can go some lengthy towards restoring Sakho’s reputation, and though he’s not expected to make a comeback at Anfield, Klopp may still be won over yet.
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