Mamadou Sakho was the most expensive centre-back in Liverpool history when he joined in 2013 but his Anfield career was over before it even began.
As Liverpool was getting ready to wrap up a busy summer, it was a last-minute signing that got fans excited.
Brendan Rodgers was looking to strengthen his defence after signing Kolo Toure for free. He brought in Thiago Ilori, a promising but untested player, for £7million.
But it wasn’t Ilori who stole the show in September 2013. Instead, all eyes were on Mamadou Sakho, who joined from Paris Saint-Germain amid much excitement.
Sakho cost £18m, making him the most expensive centre-back in Anfield history at the time and one of the top five most expensive players in any position to sign for the club.
Some might have been worried about the timing of the deal – it came right at the end of the transfer window. But Sakho’s signing was seen as a big statement.
At just 23, the former PSG captain was thought to be the solid foundation of a defence that would support Rodgers’ quest for glory at Anfield.
By September 2013, Sakho had already played for France 14 times. He was seen as someone who could become a key part of Liverpool’s defence for many years.
Rodgers certainly agreed with this idea.
“You look at some teams and they have ageing centre-halves because it is a struggle to get a really good one,” Rodgers said at the time.
“Sakho is 23 but he is an experienced player, he has senior international caps and looks an absolute monster in training. He is one who is ready for now and that is what we want.”
“We had a chance to protect the club for maybe the next 10 years and that is what we have done.”
Sakho’s first season with Liverpool almost saw them win their first title in nearly 25 years. However, he would only play in 18 Premier League games as Liverpool’s defence let in a massive 50 goals.
This was nearly double the amount of goals third-place Chelsea let in, making it clear where things went wrong.
Some people thought the Frenchman looked nervous and unsure, especially when he had the ball. Despite this, Sakho managed to achieve a pass accuracy of 92 per cent in his first season.
But even with players like Kolo Toure, Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger in the team, it seemed like Rodgers didn’t fully trust his £18m player.
The addition of Dejan Lovren for £20m in July 2014 suggested that Sakho hadn’t convinced everyone in his first year.
And he would play even less in the following season as Liverpool struggled to recover from missing out on the title.
Sakho’s time at Liverpool hit a low point when the team suffered a 6-1 defeat to Stoke in Steven Gerrard’s final game for the club. The next season was seen as a fresh start, with new team members and staff brought in.
New faces like Sean O’Driscoll, Gary McAllister and Pep Lijnders joined the team. Big signings like Christian Benteke, Roberto Firmino and Nathaniel Clyne were made, costing over £70million. Sakho was given the captain’s armband for a Europa League game, but his first Premier League start of the season didn’t come until the end of September.
Sakho played in Jurgen Klopp’s first Liverpool team at Spurs in mid-October. He put in some strong performances in Europe as Liverpool made it to the final of the Europa League.
Sakho became a big favourite with fans when he scored against Everton and in the amazing comeback against Dortmund at Anfield in April 2016.
“The fans never leave us and they always, always shout. And I think together, it is a win for the Liverpool country,” he said after the match.
He won more love when he and Divock Origi took a sneaky selfie and put it in Reds fan Liamie Marum’s photo gallery after Liamie lost his phone during the excitement of the Dortmund win.
But in April 2016 things took a turn for the worse for Sakho when he was hit with a major doping ban at the end of the month. He had decided against taking a second test after the first one showed a fat-burning substance, finding himself suspended for 30 days before the ban was overturned on appeal. He would later win substantial damages against the World Anti-Doping Agency after it was found that higenamine was not banned by Wada.
This meant he couldn’t play in the Europa League final against Sevilla or be in France’s team for the European Championships that summer.
After that, things went downhill for Sakho at Liverpool.
He came back from the ban hoping to start over and fight the World Anti-Doping Agency quietly while playing football again.
He was cleared in July and even got an apology from WADA, but his chance to come back strong during Liverpool’s pre-season trip to the USA didn’t go as planned after a hard few months.
Sakho’s decline at Liverpool was accelerated when he fell out with Klopp while receiving treatment for an Achilles injury in the US. His attitude at the training camp raised concerns, leading to his quick return to Merseyside on Klopp’s orders.
The exact reasons for Sakho being sent back from America were never fully explained. However, it was reported that he nearly missed the outbound flight, skipped a rehab session and was late for a team meal.
Sakho’s behaviour in California was the last straw for Klopp, who had run out of patience. The defender was relegated to the Under-23s and never played for the first team again, even when Liverpool’s defence was under intense scrutiny before Virgil van Dijk joined in January 2018.
In August of that year, WADA confirmed they wouldn’t appeal UEFA’s decision to clear Sakho. He was then told he needed to go on loan if he wanted to keep playing top-level football.
Despite the clear signs that his time at Liverpool was over, Sakho didn’t secure a move before the transfer deadline. Stoke and West Brom showed interest, but no deal was reached. Sakho saw a move to either club as a big step down.
Sakho found himself training with the club’s Under-23s at the Kirkby Academy. He also posted on his Snapchat account at 3am, expressing his frustrations about the situation.
He wrote: “Now it’s 3 weeks I am fit to play games.” and “I finish[ed] all my rehabilitation work.”
“They don’t want me to play also with the segonde team (U23s) lol! Why? I don’t know.”
“[I am] Still working hard like [a] Scouse soldier! Still not talking [because] I want to speak on the pitch…I will speak soon for the people who support and me and don’t understand the situation.”
“I accept my situation but I can’t accept the lie…The fans deserve to know the truth! Thanks for your support.”
After being suspended in April, Sakho didn’t play again for over five months. His return was in a low-key match at Prenton Park for the U23s against Wolfsburg.
Those who trained with Sakho praised his professionalism and dedication. They were surprised by his willingness to play for the U23s.
However, if Sakho was hoping for a change of heart from Klopp, he was mistaken.
As January arrived, Sakho finally left Liverpool, agreeing to a loan move to Crystal Palace.
West Brom and Stoke, the clubs Sakho turned down in the summer might have seemed a step down to him, but after nine months of zero activity at top level, he accepted the offer from Palace.
“Right now it’s a new page for me,” Sakho said, “When I have a new shirt I always give my best.”
It’s thought that Christian Benteke, his old pal from Anfield, played a big part in Sakho making the move to Selhurst Park.
Sakho did so well down south that Palace paid their most ever on a player when they scooped him up permanently in 2017’s summer, for a hefty £25m. In 2022’s summer, he left along with other big stars whose contracts had ended.
And in 2024, it’s tough to work out where Sakho stands at Liverpool. He’s a player who divides supporters.
Everyone has opinions about Sakho – some think highly of him, others less so.
While some believe he could have been a key defender at Anfield for years, others saw him as a walking disaster waiting to happen.
Indeed, Sakho remains unattached in 2024, having left Montpellier following an altercation on the training ground with his manager,
