While much has been made over the past few months about Mamadou Sakho’s absence from Liverpool’s first team, little compares to the confusion in France.
Once a national hero, scoring crucial goals for his national team as Didier Deschamps’ men limped past Ukraine in their way to qualifying for the 2014 World Cup, the Liverpool defender has completely disappeared.
Now playing reserve football with the club’s U23s after being frozen out by Jürgen Klopp, the 26-year-old is expected to leave the club in January, yet Sakho appears to be extremely picky about his next destination.
Firstly, a return to France is a no-go.
Rudi Garcia’s new team, Marseille, were linked, but considering Sakho’s love for Paris Saint-Germain, the move would be near impossible, and that’s before his wages are taken into account. 
Then came ‘serious offers’ from both Stoke City and West Brom, reported by the English press as being loans, but the defender was expecting interest from slightly more ‘prestigious’ Premier League clubs.
Turkey was his next potential destination, as Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe also placed ‘serious’ offers on the table, but clearly that wasn’t a part of his plans either.
Finally, both Milan clubs spoke to the entourage of the Liverpool defender, and Le Parisien suspect the duo could return in the coming weeks with something a bit more concrete, as the January window approaches.
As things stand, Sakho’s inability to leave Liverpool hasn’t been due to a lack of interest.
During the second half of last season, the French centre-back had all of Klopp’s trust, and demonstrated his abilities consistently, but it seems his want to play at the highest level is holding him back just a little bit.
Perhaps taking a step down is the right thing to do at this moment in time? After all, he’s only 26.
Tony Pulis and Mark Hughes may well decide to test the water again, Sakho may listen more kindly to Stoke and West Brom given how his situation has since deteriorated.
