Frank de Boer has dealt a new blow to Mamadou Sakho’s Liverpool exit hopes.
The defender last featured for the Reds in April 2016, prior to being suspended by UEFA over a failed drugs test of which he was later cleared.
Sakho spent the second half of last season on loan with Crystal Palace and had favoured a return to London despite West Brom’s renewed interest.
De Boer had cooled on the 27-year-old earlier this summer but is keen on his potential return to Selhurst Park before transfer August 31 deadline.
However the new Eagles manager admits that Liverpool’s £30 million valuation of Sakho has priced his side out of a potential transfer.
“Everybody knows he had a major impact last season,” he told the Guardian.
“And, when he’s available for us, I think that is a quality injection for the club.
“It is not like this now because he is much too expensive for the club.”
Jurgen Klopp banished the former France international to the wilderness following his misbehaviour on the Reds’ pre-season tour of America last year.