Crystal Palace Boss Frank de Boer Wants Maligned Reds Defender But Admits Current Price Is Too High

Crystal Palace manager Frank de Boer has admitted that he and the club have retained their interest in signing Liverpool's maligned centre-back Mamadou Sakho.

In an article by The Guardian however, the former Ajax boss was said to have also admitted the Reds' current price for the French defender is "far too expensive".

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Liverpool want £30m for Sakho, who has been frozen-out of the squad by his manager Jurgen Klopp, since a breach of discipline last summer. The Anfield club are believed to be willing to accept a deal inclusive of add-ons to achieve the £30m figure before the transfer deadline at the end of August.

Sakho enjoyed a highly successful loan-spell at Palace, in which he helped the team - then managed by Sam Allardyce - escape relegation and finish comfortably within a margin of safety.

It is understood that the 27-year-old would prefer a move to Selhurst Park, as opposed to a transfer that would see him at West Brom, who are also interested in signing the former Paris Saint‑Germain player.

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West Ham United is another possible destination. Talks between Liverpool and Palace are expected to resume with 11 days to go before the transfer deadline and De Boer has admitted Sakho would enhance his squad.

The Palace manager said: “Everybody knows he had a major impact last season and, when he’s available for us, I think that is a quality injection for the club. It is not like this now because he is much too expensive for the club.”