With Mamadou Sakho being linked with a summer exit from Crystal Palace, it is fair to say that signing of the Frenchman has not gone as envisaged for the Eagles.
Recruited from Liverpool for a reported fee of £26m in 2017 after initially impressing on loan, the 2013 Ligue 1 champion looked a clever buy. However, the south London club have certainly not received value for money, with the defender now apparently interesting Lazio.
In the four years since his permanent arrival at Selhurst Park, Sakho has made just 67 appearances as a full-time Eagles player due to a series of fitness issues. For context, Sakho has missed the same number of games through various injuries, indicating how often he has been ruled out.
Whilst his huge transfer fee, the second-highest in the history of Crystal Palace, looks extortionate considering the 31-year-old’s lack of action, the huge outlay on Palace’s part is worsened when taking into account the former Paris Saint-Germain defender’s wages.
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Having earned £5.2m on an annual basis, this means that Sakho has scooped approximately £20.8m in pay in his time with the Eagles.
When added to the eye-watering fee that it took to bring him to Selhurst Park in 2017, it means that he has cost the club approximately £46.8m over his time at Palace – an amount certainly not befitting a player who has not readily been available for selection on regular occasions.
With the 31-year-old out of contract at the end of the season, it’s next to impossible for Steve Parish to recoup any of that considerable outlay.
If Sakho does indeed move to Lazio come the end of his Palace deal this summer, the club will be left to reflect on what has been a hugely costly and frankly disastrous transfer.
AND in more news, read why Palace should move on from a current Championship hotshot...