The Liverpool centre back was on loan with Crystal Palace from January, but it now seems that the Eagles can’t complete a move for him.
Mamadou Sakho and Laurent Koscieny in action for France
Crystal Palace have been dealt a huge blow after their chairman Steve Parish revealed that it’s highly unlikely that the Eagles will sign Mamadou Sakho from Liverpool, as explained to SiriusXM FC and reported by London Football News, and Newcastle United should use this opportunity to pounce.
Sakho was on loan at Palace from January until the end of the 2016/17 season and was an absolute colossus for the Eagles, playing a huge part in keeping the club in the Premier League to the point where the entire Palace fanbase would’ve loved to see him stay permanently.
Crystal Palace’s Mamadou Sakho in action
However, as he told SiriusXM FC, Parish claimed that the club simply don’t have the financial firepower to prise the France international away from Anfield, as Liverpool are holding out for a big fee.
Newcastle are actively in the transfer market for a centre back, as shown by their pursuit of Sporting Lisbon defender Ruben Semedo, as reported by the Daily Star, but they’ve reportedly had a bid rejected for the 23-year-old.
Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Semedo in action against Borussia Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
With that in mind, it would be very wise of Newcastle to hijack Palace’s interest in Sakho, and sign one of the best performing centre backs in the Premier League last season – even if it costs more than it would to snap up Semedo.
There’s also the possibility that Newcastle could sign both, as the Magpies – under Rafael Benitez’s stewardship – seek to push on in the Premier League having just been promoted from the Championship, and shoring up their defence with two defenders of that class would be seriously good business.
Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez
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