Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Mamadou Sakho will miss the start of Liverpool’s season.
Fresh from being cleared by UEFA over alleged doping, the France international had hoped to put his career back on track by returning for the Reds’ new campaign.
But an Achilles problem which dogged Sakho, who last featured for Liverpool in April, during the second half of last season is now set to put paid to his plans to hit the ground running in August.
He said: “Mama had a little issue with his Achilles when he was playing [last season], one day on, one off, this kind of thing.
“When he had his little ‘break’ he used the time to have a little bit of treatment and that now means another three or four weeks before he can train again.
“There was no surgery, he is just not about to train at the moment.
“He has got some rehab of course and it’s not too good a situation for him, for us, everybody.
“It’s not important what I could say because everyone thinks the same. He’s here, he’s not available at the moment but he is doing rehab. We will see how he reacts to that and then when he can play again.”