Premier League sides Bournemouth and Southampton are said to be interested in signing exiled Liverpool centre-back Mamadou Sakho.
The Frenchman is set to leave after falling out of favour under Jurgen Klopp, with the Reds hoping to secure a deal worth £20 million.
Sevilla and Galatasaray are reported to be hopeful of signing Sakho, who has three-and-a-half years left on his current contract, but they are not the 26-year-old’s only suitors.
According to reports on Sunday evening, both Bournemouth and Southampton are interested in sealing a deal for Liverpool’s No. 3.
The Cherries’ emergence in the race to sign Sakho comes after loanee Nathan Ake was recalled by parent club Chelsea, with Eddie Howe now short of defensive talent.
As a result, the Mail claim that Bournemouth will approach Liverpool in an effort to sign either Sakho or Joe Gomez on loan.
Howe “wants a deal done quickly,” they report, with his options at the back dwindling at a crucial period.
Liverpool are not likely to part ways with Gomez this month, with the 19-year-old impressing on his first appearance for the first team after a long-term ACL injury.
But Sakho is certain to leave before the end of the transfer window, though a loan move is far from ideal.
A permanent switch to Southampton would be more suitable, and according to the Mirror, Saints manager Claude Puel could prompt a bid for Sakho in the light of Jose Fonte’s transfer request.
Puel is said to have “sounded out his fellow Frenchman about a move,” though links between Sakho and Southampton seem to be more through association than anything else.
But taking to Instagram on Saturday anticipating his return to the pitch, Sakho underlined his intention to move on this month.
Whichever club he joins, Sakho will not be the first Liverpool player to leave this January, with Pedro Chirivella having joined Go Ahead Eagles on a six-month loan and Tiago Ilori completing his £3.75 million move to Reading on Monday morning.
Lucas Leiva is the subject of interest from Inter Milan, while the Reds are believed to have rejected approaches for Kevin Stewart and Marko Grujic.
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