Liverpool Transfer News: Mamadou Sakho Linked to West Brom, Latest Reds Rumours

West Bromwich Albion are reportedly eager to offer Liverpool outcast Mamadou Sakho a route back into the Premier League this January by ending the centre-back's Anfield exile with a winter loan deal. 

Sakho has been frozen out by Reds manager Jurgen Klopp after it appeared the France international could move during the summer transfer window, and the Baggies are interested, per the Liverpool Echo's Neil Jones.

West Brom chief Tony Pulis is said to be examining Sakho as a potential recruit to shore up his back line, and the defender's Liverpool days could be over considering he hasn't featured for the first team since April.

Sakho has displayed great quality for the Merseysiders in the past, but Paul Little of the Irish Daily Star said Liverpool have already found their upgrade in the form of summer signing Joel Matip, who arrived on a free:

The former Schalke 04 central defender has proved himself to be a talented acquisition, teaming up well alongside Croatia's Dejan Lovren to form a partnership that's helped the club to the Premier League summit.

France manager Didier Deschamps recently addressed the issue of Sakho's club exile and described the situation as "very complicated," per James Cambridge of the Daily Express:

"

I talked with Mamadou Sakho to see whereabouts he is. It sounds very complicated.

I do not know if there is another solution for him to go elsewhere because he does not play at Liverpool.

His situation is very complicated. It is up to him to find a solution so that he can express himself on the pitch.

"

Anfield HQ put Sakho's mighty fall from grace into context after the Frenchman lined up for his second Premier League 2 appearance of the season in late October, evidence of his decline under Klopp:

Sakho's 2015-16 season was cut short as a result of a failed drugs test—of which he was later cleared by UEFA, per the Telegraph's Chris Bascombe—before being sent home early from this summer's pre-season tour of the United States.

The Mirror's David Anderson also reported in October that Sakho was "finally ready to leave Liverpool" after accepting he wouldn't fit in under Klopp, who has four centre-backs currently ahead of the 2013 signing, including Lucas Leiva and Ragnar Klavan:

Elsewhere, Dominic King of the Daily Mail reported FC Rostov striker Sardar Azmoun is being eyed by the Reds ahead of a potential January swoop, with Klopp said to be in the market for a Danny Ings replacement.

Joe.co.uk's Tony Barrett added further fuel to rumours Azmoun is being monitored ahead of a winter move, with Ings no longer an option for the club after he suffered a season-ending knee injury:

Azmoun—dubbed "the Iranian Lionel Messi"—has scored 17 goals in 55 appearances for Rostov, per Transfermarkt, not to mention bagging 16 goals in 22 appearances for Iran's national team since debuting in 2014.

The 21-year-old would undoubtedly struggle to displace any of Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino or Sadio Mane if he were to arrive at Anfield, but some fine form in Russia's top flight is earning the starlet major attention.