Mamadou Sakho was once a major component of Liverpool’s team, but his career has spiralled in recent years, and he is now without a team after encountering turmoil off the pitch.
As Liverpool was wrapping up their summer business in 2013, a surprise signing got the fans excited.
Brendan Rodgers sought to strengthen his defence after signing Kolo Toure on a free transfer. He paid £7 million for Thiago Ilori, a promising but unproven player. However, in September 2013, it wasn’t Ilori who drew everyone’s attention. Everyone was watching Mamadou Sakho, who arrived from Paris Saint-Germain amid tremendous fanfare.
Sakho‘s transfer fee was £18 million, making him the most expensive centre-back in Anfield history at the time, as well as one of the top five high-ticket players in any position to join the club. Some may have been concerned about the deal’s timing, given it was completed just before the transfer window closed. However, Sakho’s signing was viewed as a significant move.
At barely 23, the former PSG captain was expected to become the foundation of a defensive line that would support Rodgers‘ quest for greatness at Anfield. By September 2013, Sakho has already played 14 matches for France. He was regarded as a potential key member of Liverpool’s defence for many seasons. Rodgers wholeheartedly agreed with this idea. According to Rodgers, some teams have ageing center-halves due to the difficulty of finding a high-quality replacement.
“Sakho is 23 years old, but he is an experienced player with senior international caps who appears to be an absolute beast in training. He is prepared for the present moment, which is exactly what we want. We had the opportunity to defend the club for perhaps the next ten years, and that is what we did.”
Sakho’s debut season with Liverpool almost resulted in the club’s first title in nearly 25 years. However, he only appeared in 18 Premier League games as Liverpool‘s defence conceded a staggering 50 goals. This was nearly twice as many goals as third-place Chelsea conceded, highlighting where things went wrong.
Some said the Frenchman appeared anxious and unsure, particularly when he held the ball. Despite this, Sakho had a 92% pass accuracy in his debut season. Even with players like Kolo Toure, Martin Skrtel, and Daniel Agger on the team, it appeared like Rodgers didn’t fully trust his £18 million player.
The signing of Dejan Lovren at £20 million in July 2014 indicated that Sakho had not persuaded everyone in his first year. And he would play even less the following season, as Liverpool struggled to recover from their title loss. Sakho’s stint at Liverpool ended with a 6-1 loss to Stoke City in Steven Gerrard’s farewell game for the club. However, the following season was viewed as a fresh start, with new squad players and staff brought in.
When Jurgen Klopp took charge, new faces in the dugout such as Sean O’Driscoll, Gary McAllister, and Pep Lijnders came. Liverpool had spent more than £70 million on significant signings including Christian Benteke, Roberto Firmino, and Nathaniel Clyne. While Sakho was chosen to wear the captain’s armband in a Europa League encounter, he did not make his Premier League debut until late September.
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