Mamadou Sakho has admitted turning up late to an official meeting during the summer, but has refused to be drawn into further controversy.
The Frenchman was giving an interview to Canal in his homeland, with Jurgen Klopp having frozen him out of first-team consideration; not selecting the centre-back in a single match-day squad this campaign.
With two days left of the transfer window, Sakho will do everything he can to force himself away from Merseyside so he can resurrect his career, but Liverpool are only interested in selling permanently.
According to the Express, Crystal Palace and Swansea are interested in buying Sakho to help them fight relegation, but we’ll see if either take the punt.
Here’s what he said: (You can watch it below, but might struggle if you don’t speak French!)
“It is true that I turned up late. There was a rule that I should have observed. I do not at all see myself as above the rules, I respect everyone.
“I paid my fine, I was sanctioned, I apologised to my team-mates and my manager. Aside from that… I do not want to go into the controversies.
“I’m a professional footballer, I remain pro. I train with the reserve team and I have a personal trainer. I work hard to stay on top form.
“Did I consider a boycott? Never at all.”
. @mamadousakho a-t-il pensé à aller au clash avec Liverpool ? ⚡️ #CFC pic.twitter.com/FlmxyMOuAX
— Canal Football Club (@CanalFootClub) January 29, 2017
Sakho’s intimation at the end is that he wanted to stay at Liverpool, but Klopp made that impossible.
We have to trust our manager’s judgment in this instance, but can’t help but wonder what would have happened if he’d forgiven Sakho and allowed him back in the fold. After all, he’s a better defender than Ragnar Klavan, Lucas and maybe Dejan Lovren as well.