Mamadou Sakho’s future at Liverpool has been plunged into doubt after he was sent home early from their pre-season tour.
The France international has not played in any of Liverpool’s friendlies because he is nursing an Achilles problem that will prevent him starting the new Premier League campaign.
However, Sakho was included in the squad that travelled to Palo Alto in California last Thursday, as were Joe Gomez – who also has an Achilles issue – and the hamstrung Lucas Leiva as Jurgen Klopp wanted to keep the group together to help foster team spirit for the new campaign.
Concerns, though, have been raised about the attitude Sakho has displayed around camp and that led to a decision being taken to send the 26-year-old back to Merseyside, where he will continue to undergo treatment on his injury.
Sakho was booked onto the same direct flight from San Francisco back to Heathrow alongside Brad Smith, the young Australia international who is set to join Bournemouth in a £6million deal once he has completed the formality of a medical.
Liverpool offered no comment about the reasons for Sakho’s abrupt departure. All they confirmed was the basic detail that he is continuing his rehabilitation back at the club’s Melwood training base and is working towards returning.
Yet the very fact Sakho is going back to the United Kingdom before they have played any of their games against Chelsea, AC Milan and Roma gives a clear indication that something has gone wrong and how his influence on the squad is not required.
Klopp has been working hard to get a rapport amongst a squad that has seen seven new faces arrive and he has frequently been heard reminding the group of the values of hard work during the training sessions he has put on at Stanford University.
The last few months have been arguably the most difficult of Sakho’s career, as he was banned by UEFA for failing a drugs test – a decision that prevented him from playing in the Europa League final against Sevilla and from representing France at Euro 2016 – only to discover that he had not actually committed a doping violation.
He is currently taking legal advice on what steps to take next after UEFA admitted Sakho did not have a case to answer following the sample he provided after the Europa League last 16 tie against Manchester United on March 17 at Old Trafford.
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