As reported by The Daily Mirror, Southampton are interested in signing Liverpool's Mamadou Sakho in this month's transfer window.

What's the story?

With Southampton facing the prospect of losing Jose Fonte and Virgil van Dijk over the next few transfer windows, Claud Puel is looking at defensive options this month.

The Mirror reckon the man at the top of his list is forgotten Liverpool man Mamadou Sakho, who has been told he can leave Anfield this month after falling out of favour with Jurgen Klopp.

The paper says that the Saints face tough competition from Galatasaray to land their man.

Why leave Liverpool?

Sakho joined Liverpool in 2013 and despite making close to 80 appearances for the Anfield club in three years, he hasn’t featured for the first-team since April of this year.

Klopp has favoured the trio of Dejan Lovren, Joel Matip and Ragnar Klavan this term and has even drafted in Lucas Leiva ahead of natural defenders like Sakho.

It’s paying dividends with Liverpool riding high in the table in second place. While their competitors have conceded fewer goals than them this season, they have the quality required to say goodbye to Sakho.

Why join Southampton?

A move to Saints would give Sakho a fresh start in a talented team and allow him to play plenty of first team football, especially if The Mirror are correct in their suggestion that Jose Fonte is on his way out of the club.

Southampton have a profile that would not effect his French national team ambitions and there's even the possibility of European football next season if they can find a rich vein of form.

Playing alongside the likes of ball-playing Virgil van Dijk should bring out the best in someone like Sakho, a physical spoiler of opposition attacks.

It's a move that could benefit all parties, Sakho is unlikely to be enjoying his spell on the sidelines, Southampton need more quality at the back and Liverpool would no doubt like to free up wage resources.

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