Crystal Palace are still making a deal to sign Mamadou Sakho a priority but won’t pay Liverpool £30m.
Mamadou Sakho remains top of the list of transfer targets for Crystal Palace and the club have agreed a “personal deal” with the Liverpool defender, according to Goal.
Exactly what that means is unclear, but it would suggest that Sakho is also keen to return to Selhurst Park after impressing on loan during the latter half of last season.
Crystal Palace’s Mamadou Sakho celebrates after the game
However, the Reds are refusing to budge on their £30m valuation of the Frenchman, a price that Palace chairman Steve Parish admits would probably be too high to pay.
“I think that is going to be a very difficult one for us to do,” Parish told the Standard in June.
“I think Liverpool want a big number for him. That is a tough one to make happen on a permanent basis. We need to look at the budgets and be realistic.”
There now remains a standoff between the two clubs, with the Eagles not making a formal approach until the asking price is lowered, while the Merseysiders believes what they have quoted is fair.
The South Londoners’ case is not helped by the fact that Everton have just signed Michael Keane from Burnley in a club record-equalling deal that could rise to £30m (BBC).
Keane had 12 months remaining on his contract at Turf Moor and has significantly less experience than Sakho at domestic, European and international level.
England’s Michael Keane applauds fans after the match
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