3 Potential Replacements for Liverpool to Consider for Mamadou Sakho
Liverpool were rocked by the shock suspension of key centre-back Mamadou Sakho at the end of April, with the Frenchman testing positive for a banned substance following the Reds' 1-1 draw away to Manchester United in the UEFA Europa League in March, as reported by BBC Sport.
Sakho was immediately left out of Jurgen Klopp's first-team thinking, with UEFA and then FIFA imposing a 30-day suspension while investigations take place, with the Liverpool Echo's James Pearce revealing that he "could be banned for anything from six months to two years."
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In the short term, this leaves the likes of Kolo Toure and Martin Skrtel to step in to provide cover in Klopp's back line, with the duo alternating as partner to first-choice centre-back Dejan Lovren since Sakho's suspension.
But whether Sakho is to face six months or two years on the sidelines, Klopp is likely to seek a replacement this summer—be that short or long term—with the German telling reporters including the Press Association (h/t the Daily Mail) in April that "one of the biggest targets for the next season" is improving his defence.
Both club and supporters will be hoping for a swift return for Sakho, but Klopp must plan for the worst at this stage.
So who could Liverpool seek to replace Sakho this summer? Here are three potential targets.
Nicolas N'Koulou (Marseille)
With Cameroon international Joel Matip poised to arrive ahead of 2016/17 on a free transfer from Schalke, Liverpool could look to repeat this move and target his international team-mate, Nicolas N'Koulou.
N'Koulou is set to leave Marseille on the expiry of his contract this summer, with French outlet Foot Mercato (h/t the Express) most recently linking the 26-year-old with Liverpool's Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City.
A strong, front-footed centre-back who has averaged more interceptions per 90 league minutes this season (3.3) than any of Klopp's current centre-back options, N'Koulou would be primed for success in Klopp's high defensive line.
Though naturally right-sided, with Sakho a left-sided option, N'Koulou could slot in alongside either Matip or Lovren, with the latter duo capable of filling Sakho's role.
Confident and composed in possession, N'Koulou could accommodate for the loss of Sakho's vertical passing, launching quick, incisive balls towards Liverpool's attacking players, aiding the direct style of play favoured by Klopp.
An inexpensive solution this summer, and a clear upgrade on Skrtel, N'Koulou could serve as cover during Sakho's absence, reverting to a regular squad role on his return.
Shkodran Mustafi (Valencia)
According to SuperDeporte journalist Dani Merono (h/t the Express), Liverpool sent scouts to watch Valencia's Germany international centre-back Shkodran Mustafi in the immediate aftermath of Sakho's suspension at the end of April.
Merono told Radio Esport Valencia that "they will negotiate because they want to sign him," while Mustafi himself added fuel to the fire by telling FC Inter News (h/t the Express) that "in football you never know what will happen" and he would "assess at the end of the season."
If Mustafi is to make himself available this summer, leaving Valencia in a quagmire following their disappointing 2015/16 campaign, the 24-year-old would be a great signing for the Reds.
An intelligent, sweeper-mould centre-back with great positional sense and a strong tactical intelligence, Mustafi would be something of a departure from the front-footed Sakho, but with Lovren stepping out of defence impressively in the Frenchman's absence, he could slot into the more conservative role at Liverpool.
Mustafi would provide Klopp with a powerful aerial presence, and his perceptive reading of the game and bullish, physical edge suggest he could make a comfortable transition to life in the Premier League—though David Moyes may argue otherwise, having overlooked the German during his three-year spell at Everton.
He would be the first player to play for both Liverpool and Everton since Abel Xavier, but it may be a move worth considering for Klopp.
Virgil van Dijk (Southampton)
"The Premier League's richest, centre-back-needy clubs should look no further than Southampton and Virgil van Dijk. Dominant, monstrous," Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe professed at the beginning of May, later drawing comparison to the Saints' defensive star from 2014/15, Toby Alderweireld.
"Last year it was Toby Alderweireld, everyone missed it and Spurs got him," he recalled. "Don't make the same error twice. Van Dijk is incredible."
Tighe's emphatic assessment is well-placed as, despite Southampton's modest 2015/16 campaign, Van Dijk's £13 million move from Celtic last summer ranks as one of this season's best pieces of business.
A towering physical presence standing at 6'4", Van Dijk is a rare commodity in the pantheon of modern defenders in that he is able to balance this with a considerable finesse; he is a ball-playing centre-back capable of excelling in the rougher areas of the game.
Typical of his Dutch heritage, Van Dijk is blessed with an intelligence that sets him apart from his contemporaries and boasts a steely resolve that would suit the transition to top-level European football.
He is unlikely to come cheap, and his signing would require either Lovren or Matip to switch over to the left-sided role, but if Liverpool are to be without Sakho for the long term, Van Dijk would be a no-brainer signing.
Statistics via WhoScored.com.
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