Mamadou Sakho is “close” to agreeing a new five-year Liverpool deal, according to reports on Friday.
Sakho has been struggling for first-team opportunities at Anfield with Dejan Lovren and Martin Skrtel preferred in central defence, but Brendan Rodgers handed the French international a start and the captaincy in Thursday night’s 1-1 draw at Bordeaux in the Europa League.
Paul Joyce of the Daily Express reports:
The France defender’s representatives are due to hold talks with chief executive Ian Ayre today in a meeting planned before Sakho returned to Liverpool’s line-up in the Europa League stalemate with Bordeaux.
Whilst The Guardian‘s Andy Hunter writes:
It was expected the 25-year-old would assess his first-team prospects before committing to fresh terms but, following further talks between Anfield officials and Sakho’s representatives on Friday, the defender is close to committing his future to the club until 2020.
After Thursday’s game, Sakho valiently said, “I’m working and I’m a Liverpool soldier. And, when you call on me, I always rise to the challenge.”
Due to both injury and selection, the 25-year-old has made just 47 appearances for the Reds since his move from Paris Saint-Germain in 2013.
Rodgers’ move to a 3-4-2-1 formation in the draw with Bordeaux would allow Sakho to play alongside the Liverpool manager’s preferred two of Lovren and Skrtel. Jack Lusby makes the case for a permanent switch to the formation here.
Would you like to see Sakho play in a back-three alongisde Lovren and Skrtel? Let us know your thoughts, and on his reported new deal, in the comments section below.
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