Liverpool Transfer News: Mamadou Sakho Interest from Southampton, Latest Rumours
Southampton are considering a move for Liverpool's Mamadou Sakho after their skipper, Jose Fonte, handed in a transfer request.
According to L'Equipe (h/t Get French Football News), with serious doubts emerging over Fonte's future, Saints want to hold discussions over a possible move for the Frenchman.
West Ham United, Inter Milan, AC Milan and Galatasaray are also said to be keen on Sakho, although Southampton are said to hold the most significant interest.
For Saints, the January window may prove to be a period of defensive surgery, with Fonte expressing his desire to depart, per BBC Radio Solent (via BBC Sport).
In addition, centre-back Virgil van Dijk has also been linked with an exit to Manchester City, Chelsea or Everton, although Southampton executive director Les Reed has ruled out a possible sale, per Adrian Kajumba of the Daily Mirror.
Sakho, as such, could prove to be a savvy signing for the south-coast club. The 26-year-old might not have featured at all during the 2016-17 season, but he was one of Liverpool's best players last year, according to This is Anfield's Jack Lusby:
Indeed, on the field, Sakho was a key man for the Reds towards the back end of the 2015-16 season.
Not only was the Frenchman a dominant force in defence, he netted key goals against Everton and Borussia Dortmund, and he endeared himself to supporters with his passionate approach to the game. However, after being sent home from a pre-season tour in the summer by manager Jurgen Klopp, Sakho has not been seen in the first team.
Finding a replacement for Fonte, who is not only a key defender but a leader at St Mary's Stadium, will be a huge challenge for the club.
However, Sakho's experience in the Premier League would make him a potentially sound acquisition; the Frenchman should be determined to show he can still cut it in English football's top flight following a testing end to 2016 at Anfield.
Bayer Leverkusen Ready to Sell Javier Hernandez
According to Bild (h/t Evan Bartlett of The Independent), Bayer Leverkusen are ready to cash in on reported Liverpool target Javier Hernandez should they receive a bid of £21 million.
As noted by Bartlett, both the Reds and Chelsea have been linked recently with a move for the former Manchester United striker. It's suggested that Leverkusen have yet to receive a firm offer for the player, but according to Stefan Bienkowski of the Guardian, the club will wait until the summer before moving him on.
During his time in the Premier League with the Red Devils, Hernandez cultivated a reputation as a natural goalscorer. It's a status that has been cemented during his time with Leverkusen, as we can see here:
While Hernandez may not be the strongest or most technically gifted striker, throughout his career, he has always been deadly in the penalty area. However, as noted by BT Sport's Archie Rhind-Tutt, he is undergoing an uncharacteristic dry spell in front of goal, with his last Bundesliga strike coming on Oct. 1:
Hernandez's connections with United, where he won two league titles, might be enough to put some Liverpool fans off the player straight away.
Stylistically, though, the Mexico international doesn't seem to be the right type of fit for the Reds.
Klopp places a lot of demands on his centre-forward in terms of work rate and holdup play, not to mention being able to chip in with goals. The former two attributes have never been part of Hernandez's game.
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