Liverpool have reportedly told Mamadou Sakho that he must find another club before the transfer deadline or risk not playing at all this season.
The Frenchman has fallen out of favour with Jurgen Klopp, and in turn is seemingly being pushed out of the club with the deadline fast approaching.
According to The Daily Mail, he has already turned down a chance to join Stoke City, while West Bromwich Albion are expected to see their attempt to snap him up fail too.
Klopp has settled on Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip as his preferred central defensive pairing, while Ragnar Klavan will provide cover after his arrival at Anfield this summer.
In turn, it leaves Sakho in a difficult position if he wishes to feature regularly in the coming months, while a loan move could also be a way of winning Klopp over again by proving his fitness and form elsewhere before returning more focused to get his place in the team back.
The 26-year-old was seen interrupting an interview with the German tactician during their pre-season tour of the US, while reports also claimed that his poor time-keeping saw him miss the flight out with the rest of the squad.
Combined with the failed drugs test from last season, it’s been a rocky period for the former PSG defender, and so a move away to refocus and get back to his best may well be the best option at this point.
Liverpool have had struggles so far this season having conceded six goals in their opening three Premier League games of the campaign, but it doesn’t look as though that will be enough to give Sakho a second chance in the more immediate future.