It was all over the news that defender Mamadou Sakho was told to leave the Merseyside by Liverpool manager Jurgen Kloop in the current transfer window, though he decided not to. The defender was not part of the Reds squad for quite some time now and was heading for a potential loan exit now, with the Frenchman rather choosing the option of a long spell on the bench instead. The Frenchman was forced to train on his own after he challenged the authority’ of Klopp, with little belief that he can regain his first team spot.
According to the sources, Sakho had the choice to leave Anfield, though he decided otherwise and will now look to impress the former Borussia Dortmund boss. The Frenchman was earlier sent home from the club’s pre-season tour of the USA.
Klopp admitted that everything was going under control, but he did state that Sakho was late for a flight, a meal and a training session.
The former Borussia Dortmund manager previously spoke about the whole situation in an interview. He had come forward and said, “It’s not that serious. He missed the departure of the plane, he missed a session and then was late for a meal.”
The Kop manager further talked about his plans for his team and the kind of discipline he demands, adding, “I have to build a group here, I have to start a new, so I thought it maybe made sense that he flew home to Liverpool and after eight days, when we come back, we can talk about it.”
“But it’s not that serious. It is how I said, we have some rules and we have to respect them. If somebody doesn’t respect it, or somebody gives me the feeling he is not respecting it, then I have to react, that’s all.”
In the market, some speculations have been going around for quite some time now that the club’s domestic rivals Stoke City had an interest in the services of the 26-year-old defender, though it seems with the way that things are between the manager and the player, his future is in doubts at the Merseyside club at the moment.
It will be interesting to see now what the future holds for the centre-back, who does not seem to be part of the German manager’s plans at the moment. Things might be tough for Sakho in the upcoming days and his performances for the team, when he does get the chances might prove critical in deciding his future at the club.