Think this guy needs his own thread now. This article makes me excited! Mamadou Sakho: The Parisian mountain heading to Liverpool August 30, 2013 7:47 pm SakhoPSG The transfer window train is rapidly speeding up and the next young French player to leave these shores looks set to be Paris Saint-Germain’s man mountain, Mamadou Sakho. With his place seemingly taken at his boyhood club, and France national team coach Didier Deschamps putting pressure on the 23-year-old to play regular games with the upcoming World Cup potentially on the horizon, the time has come for Sakho to move on. Liverpool is his next destination. One of the greatest potential talents in recent French football history, Sakho is no longer just a prospect and has the attributes of a legendary central defender (not least because of the comparisons with Lilian Thuram). Now is the time that he showed the world what he is capable off. The skills he possesses arguably make him perfect for the English Premier League and there is no doubt that Liverpool, despite paying a reported fee in the region of £15-20 million – depending on who you believe – for a wonderful centre-back and someone who can help Brendan Rodgers’ team grow in stature over the coming years. It was back in the 2010-11 season that Sakho came of age, and was an absolute rock in the heart of an unexpectedly strong PSG defence, narrowly missing out on the Young Player of the Year award to title-winning Lille’s Eden Hazard. His performances led to him being given the armband by then-coach Antoine Kombouaré, despite only being 21 at the time, shortly before the arrival of Qatar Sports investments in the french capital. His experience belies his 23 years of age though, already having three full campaigns under his belt. Few players are better in the air than Sakho and he is as powerful as he is quick on the ground, tailor-made for the hustle and bustle of the Premier League. Raised by the club’s sometimes sieve-like youth academy since 2002, ‘Kirikou’ has gone on to become one of the club’s best recent graduates, and to the PSG faithful he is the identity of the club and embodiment of its spirit and progress on the pitch. Strong, athletic and vastly intelligent with great reading of the game, his considerable height and aerial ability makes him a formidable opponent, at times akin to a brick wall. It’s just a shame that Laurent Blanc and QSI don’t seem to totally agree with their customers. There is also a feeling in Paris though that Sakho’s potential remains unfulfilled. Two years ago, he was being touted as a possible future France captain and perhaps the most legendary of all of les Bleus’ celebrated stoppers. However, he has not really moved on since then. Sections of the PSG support believe that the club and its supporters’ reluctance to openly criticise the home grown star has contributed to his stunted growth. The 2011-12 season didn’t go very well for the centre-back. PSG lost a league title that they arguably should have won to Montpellier, and the player suffered a series of injuries that saw him lose his place in the side. The new money in Paris heralded an influx of new players to challenge for Sakho’s spot, something that would only get worse for the Frenchman. Brazilians’ Alex, Marquinhos and Thiago Silva have since joined the club, and every time Sakho has had to watch from the stands and then fight for his place. There have been no major mistakes made, no disgruntled moaning about playing time. This is a boy who wants to play for his team and is hurt by not being able to represent the club that he loves, but it seems like his face just doesn’t fit anymore. On paper the partnership of Thiago Silva and Sakho looks mouth-watering, and when they’ve had a chance to play together there is nothing that has proved otherwise. If this was not the season before a potential World Cup appearance then it is possible that the big Frenchman would have stayed to fight for his place, bleeding bleu et rouge for his team and winning the position that he is the heir to. But Deschamps has made it clear to Sakho that he has to play to get into his future squads. If he wants to have any chance of being on the plane to Brazil next summer, he needs to be playing games and he needs to be playing them now. For Liverpool this is a great move, they are getting a superb defender. If he can adapt to the British game then he is potentially better than both Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel. In a few years’ time, when Steven Gerrard has hung up his boots, there is a strong chance that the new Liverpool captain could be the Parisian-born monster. If that were to happen, it would be hard for any French manager to not make that call.
Love these big monstoristy type of player that relish the chance of playing on a wet and windy night at the Britannia, Welcome
Been a while since I seen this lad play but the few times I did see him play he looked good. Think Agger will have to battle for his spot with Toure, Sakho and possibly Illori around.
Not officially yet --- but l suppose the match is on and there are the Shankly tributes too. Having said that the BBC are reporting it and they don't do speculation. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23905653
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1757364-why-psg-are-making-transfer-error-with-Paris Saint-Germain’s French international defender Mamadou Sakho is set to join Liverpool in the coming hours, according to BBC Sport. The move would end an 11-year association with the club that has raised him and turned him into one of the best potential defensive talents in Europe. However, the move could be judged as an error on the part of the French champions, despite the reportedly handsome transfer fee the 23-year-old is set to earn for them. The player is a rare homegrown talent and one that has genuine claims to a first-team place over the ageing Brazilian Alex. So why are PSG even contemplating letting go of the star who has been heralded in many parts as a future captain, per French Football Weekly, of the French national side? Well, first and foremost, there is immense competition for places in defence at PSG right now. Not only does Laurent Blanc’s side boast the flawless Brazil national team captain Thiago Silva, but his compatriot, Alex, is also immovable alongside him and €35 million man Marquinhos is yet to feature this season. But Sakho’s reaction to those challenges has been less than positive, which is a major concern for the French champions, who are trying to construct a team of the highest calibre. PSG’s former player and now coach, Claude Makelele, told Le Parisien (in French and translated by myself as a fluent speaker) as recently as March that is was “impossible” the club would consider selling “Kirikou” as he is known, but that he had been “childish.” Since the appointment of Didier Deschamps as France national team coach, Sakho had been ever-present with Les Bleus heading into this year. But a decrease in playing time has put his international role in jeopardy with a potential World Cup appearance in Brazil looming for France if they can qualify. Because of his limited chances under Carlo Ancelotti and now Blanc, the childhood PSG fan has been forced to leave his beloved club in order to secure a possible seat on the plane. He had previously admitted that this was the only way he would ever consider departing the French capital, according to ESPN FC. There is no doubt that Sakho has the ability to play ahead of Alex, who was even beginning to show signs of age when at Chelsea. But the Brazilian’s consistency alongside compatriot Silva, not to mention their ability to communicate in Portuguese, has proved too much of an obstacle to overcome. Despite being “third-choice” in his own words, per ESPN FC, and still playing 27 times in the league last season, the Frenchman did not feel he would get a fair chance with the arrival of potential Selecao sensation Marquinhos. He won’t be waiting around to find out, and although it might not harm PSG from the outside, inside it will hurt to see one of the children of the club leave. That said, Sakho is now in the last year of his contract with the side from the capital, so there is a chance he could have left in the summer for free, even though it would have been too late for the World Cup in Brazil. A sensational defender on his day, Sakho is strong and athletic, not to mention a great reader of the game. His height and aerial prowess make him a formidable opponent, and he is as strong on the ground as he is in the air, without losing any manoeuvrability. But there have also been indications that the former club captain was too comfortable in his surroundings, too accustomed to being a fan favourite and exempt from the criticism that perhaps should have come his way in the past two seasons. The Frenchman is thought to be a poor trainer off the pitch with a number of bad habits, something that has stunted his growth since the arrival and lavish investment of Qatar Sports Investments. During those two seasons, while Sakho has stood still in terms of development, young Raphael Varane has appeared on the international scene and Eric Abidal has also launched a comeback with Les Bleus. The Real Madrid youngster is now arguably France’s brightest defensive prospect and is better placed at this time to go to the World Cup despite his relative lack of experience. Crucially, Varane is playing regular matches and Sakho is not. The same, too, can be said of Abidal, who currently captains Monaco and recently returned for Deschamps’ side in the friendly with Belgium. Fierce competition for France as well as PSG has pushed Sakho to seek the guaranteed first-team football he craves. Whether he can ever make up the ground on Varane remains to be seen, although there is no doubt that even with regular matches for Liverpool, stepping out of Continental competition altogether is a big risk. For PSG, though, it is also a gamble. If Sakho re-emerges as the defender everyone in Ligue 1 and France knows he is capable of being, then Liverpool have made an excellent signing despite the high price. Letting go of a homegrown talent is also a big risk for the French champions at a time where so few are able to compete adequately for a starting role. But with Sakho pushing for a move without earning his place, it put the club in a difficult position with only a year remaining on his contract. Sakho could turn into the signing of the season for Liverpool and win back his place in the France squad. But equally, he could still not make it onto the plane to Brazil and risks regretting his choice to leave PSG without the pressure of the World Cup making his mind up for him in the future.
Just been confirmed on the offal. Time to switch this over to the LFC thread! Delighted with this signing.
Confirmed!! http://liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/144053-reds-announce-sakho-signing Really like this signing!!
What a carefree, stress free transfer deadline day. 2 signings in the space of an hour. No fuss. Lovely
This man is a beasttt of a man, will provide serious competation for CB position, delighted with this one.
Ian Ayre describing him as a "marquee" signing. Take it that there isnt going to be any more major moves today so aside from Moses. Ah well, who cares, we are top of the league!! Welcome Mamadou