Mamadou Sakho’s bid to leave Liverpool this month could reportedly hinge on a knife-edge.
Sakho has not featured for the Reds since last April, when he was suspended pending UEFA’s outcome of the defender’s failed drugs test a month prior.
Although the France international was later cleared, his Anfield career nosedived after he was expelled from the club’s pre-season tour of America by Jurgen Klopp.
Since being confined to the wilderness, Sakho has been forced to ply his trade with Liverpool’s under-23 set up but is eyeing a permanent exit before January 31.
From a host of interested clubs, the 26-year-old is understood to have whittled his choice down to either joining Southampton or Spartak Moscow.
But the Saints have thrown a spanner into the works after seeing their initial approach rejected by Liverpool earlier this month.
As the exiled centre-back clings to hopes of staying in the Premier League, the EFL Cup finalists, who knocked out Liverpool on Wednesday, are still sifting through a shortlist of three defenders to sign.
The Daily Mail claim that Sakho is in contention alongside Everton’s out-of-favour captain Phil Jagielka and Serdar Tasci from Spartak Moscow as potential signings.
Claude Puel is keen to strengthen his back line after seeing Virgil van Dijk sidelined for up to three months and Jose Fonte joining West Ham.