New Liverpool FC centre back set to add power and experience to squad
Mamadou Sakho poses for a photo after signing a contract for Liverpool
The acquisition of Mamadou Sakho from Paris Saint-Germain on deadline day marked the end of Liverpool FC’s summer-long search for a long-term replacement for Jamie Carragher.
The France international didn’t come cheap with the £15million price tag making him the most expensive centre-back in the Reds’ history.
New signings for Liverpool Football Club at Melwood Training Ground, Liverpool Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
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However, boss Brendan Rodgers is convinced Liverpool have bought proven quality with the 23-year-old having made more than 200 appearances for the French champions. More transfer news: Tiago Ilori may be on England radar Victor Moses: Sturridge convinced me to come to Reds
At 6ft 2in, he’s a big, strong, powerful, imposing defender, who had also been attracting interest from AC Milan and Roma.
Big-spenders PSG didn’t want to lose him but with Sakho having entered the final year of his contract and refusing to pen a new deal, they had little option but to reluctantly do business.
Reds managing director Ian Ayre hailed it as the kind of ‘marquee signing’ fans have wanted to see following failed attempts to land the likes of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Diego Costa and Willian this summer.
“Sakho is a top, top centre-half and that adds to the great centre-back pairings that we have already and it will give that depth,” Ayre said.
“He’s an important marquee signing for us. It was a difficult one for us to get, but I’m very pleased that we’ve been able to attract him to the football club.
“One of the things that Brendan said was that he wanted to add real depth and strength and Sakho is a Champions League player of great pedigree and experience.
“I think it’s difficult to imagine anyone filling Jamie Carragher’s shoes, but what the arrival will do is bring huge strength and experience to the squad.
“I think importantly, when you see him on the pitch, you see that he’s a leader and he’s very strong.
“He’s very much a character and I think that’s something that Brendan made clear in his selection and what he was looking for. As well as bringing in youth, he wanted to bring in experience and talent.
“The manager wanted to bring leaders and people who could dig in when needed. I think when our fans get to see Sakho in action, they’ll see he’s definitely got all of those characteristics.”
It’s a big move for Paris-born Sakho who had spent his entire career in the French capital.
He joined the PSG Academy in 2002 and progressed into the senior ranks – making his first-team debut in the Europa League against AEK Athens in February 2007.
Sakho went on to become the youngest captain in their history as he established himself as a mainstay of their back four. He was crowned France’s Young Player of the Year in 2011.
Having won the Coupe de la Ligue in 2008, he added the Coupe de France two years later and played in 27 league matches last season during their Ligue One title-winning campaign under Carlo Ancelotti.
However, with new PSG boss Laurent Blanc favouring the centre-back partnership of Brazilian duo Alex and Thiago Silva, and £27million signing Marquinhos waiting in the wings, Sakho decided to seek a new challenge.
PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi failed in a bid to convince him to change his mind.
“Sakho is a child of the club – just like Steven Gerrard is at Liverpool,” Al-Khelaifi said.
“It is hard to imagine him wearing another team’s jersey. I’m a little surprised that he wants to leave.”
But the defender was determined to force through a move in order to boost his hopes of adding to his 14 caps and featuring for France at next summer’s World Cup finals in Brazil. He isn’t currently in Didier Deschamps’ squad.
Sakho, who can also play left-back, has walked away from Champions League football in his homeland but has set his sights of helping Liverpool regain their place among Europe’s elite.
“I came here because the project that is in place at Liverpool interests me,” he said.
“My aim while I am here is to play in the Champions League with Liverpool. I remember their teams when they were in the competition when I was younger.
“The Champions League is a tournament that all the great clubs in Europe participate in and that’s where we need to get to. With the team we have, we are in a good position to get there. This is our objective.
“With regards to the history of Liverpool, the thing that struck me most was the victory in the Champions League final when I was very young. I hope to create a new piece of history with our supporters at Anfield.”
With centre-backs Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger having performed so well in Sunday’s victory against Manchester United and Kolo Toure close to returning from injury after making such a bright start to his Reds career, Rodgers now has a host of defensive options.
Fellow new boy Tiago Ilori may have been bought with one eye on the future but the transfer fee for Sakho makes it pretty clear he’s one for the present.
“In a large club, having competition is something you expect,” Sakho added.
“Competition doesn’t give me any worries. Competition makes the team grow and makes the club grow.”
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