Suffering a back injury during France’s 1-0 friendly win against Uruguay, Crystal Palace’s Mamadou Sakho is a doubt for the upcoming game against Manchester United in the Premier League.
The 28-year-old, who joined the Eagles permanently last summer for £25m or so from Liverpool after a one season loan at Selhurst Park, has been a stalwart under Roy Hodgson, yet to miss a minute of league football this season.
Injury aside, this could also be his last season with the Eagles, as the player, in an interview with RMC Sport in France, heavily hinted he could go looking elsewhere come the end of the season.
This has nothing to do with being unhappy at Crystal Palace, however, as he made very clear.
He said: “Today, my ambition remains the same. I want to play in the biggest competitions. If I said otherwise, it would mean I’m lacking ambition and that I’m happy with what I have. Why not try for the Champions League? If you ask any Crystal Palace player, they’ll say the same thing.
“This summer, I could have taken different paths, like Spain, Italy or France, but I chose to stay in England, and I don’t regret it. When I make a decision, I put my head down and do it all the way through. Today, I’m proud of my choice. We’ll sit down and see at the end of the season.”
With Crystal Palace some way off a Champions League spot in the Premier League, it seems unlikely the centre-back will fulfil his ambition at Selhurst Park, meaning an exit could be on the cards.
That’s, of course, if the Eagles agree to sell him, and a club qualified for Europe’s elite competition comes knocking again.
