Liverpool Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Mamadou Sakho and Geoffrey Kondogbia

Liverpool will reportedly demand a fee of £500,000 before agreeing to loan out Mamadou Sakho in the January transfer window.

According to Simon Jones of MailOnline, the Reds' insistence on a fee to take the Frenchman on a temporary basis could put the player’s exit chances in doubt. It means any side hoping to sign the centre-back until the end of the season may have to shell out £800,000 in total, taking into account the 26-year-old’s wages.

West Bromwich Albion and West Ham United are said to be interested in securing Sakho, while Lille, AC Milan and Inter Milan are also keeping a close eye on the situation.

It's noted by Jones that West Brom and West Ham will likely readdress the prospect of signing the centre-back later on in January in the hope that the Reds will lower their demands.

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The defender has not played a single minute of senior football for Liverpool this season after he was sent home from the club's pre-season tour of the United States due to question marks over his application. He's been involved in the under-23 setup at times this term and has shown a decent attitude overall, as noted by Neil Jones of the Liverpool Echo:

Given he's proved himself in the Premier League, is a France international and is in what should be the peak years of his career as a defender, it's understandable that Liverpool want to recoup something for the player, especially with so many clubs said to be interested in him.

However, the fact he's not featured once for the first team this season doesn't give the Reds a particularly strong negotiating standpoint. Ultimately, at this juncture, a parting of ways—be that temporary or permanent—makes sense for all concerned.

Geoffrey Kondogbia Linked with Rivals

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According to Corriere dello Sport (h/t Tom Coast of Sport Witness), Everton, Southampton and Watford are all keen on signing Inter Milan man Geoffrey Kondogbia, who has also been linked with a move to Liverpool.

Tuttosport (h/t Lucas Sposito of Sport Witness) had previously suggested the Reds and Chelsea were willing to match Inter’s valuation of €20 million (£16.7 million) for the out-of-favour midfielder. However, it’s now been reported three more Premier League sides are considering the Frenchman, as well as Olympique de Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain.

Kondogbia arrived at Inter in the summer of 2015 with a stellar reputation, having previously impressed in stints with AS Monaco and Sevilla. Here is a look at what he's capable of:

However, since the switch to Inter, the 23-year-old has found consistency difficult to come by, and he has turned in some torrid performances in Serie A. Kondogbia's physicality means he is a presence in the middle of the park, although his passing can be erratic and his decision-making poor at times.

Nonetheless, football writer Michael de Asha believes the Inter man would be a good fit for Everton for the right price:

The Premier League would arguably be more attuned to Kondogbia's attributes than the Italian top flight. The former Monaco man could thrive in what is a much more robust league, with an emphasis on physicality often at the expense of technical proficiency.

He would give Liverpool something different at the hub of the team, too. While the likes of Jordan Henderson, Emre Can, Georginio Wijnaldum and Adam Lallana have been brilliant for the Reds this season, Kondogbia is a colossus in the middle of the park when he is in the groove. There looks to be plenty of teams willing to take a chance on him, though.