Liverpool reject Southampton's loan offer for Mamadou Sakho

Liverpool have rejected a loan offer from Southampton for defender Mamadou Sakho. The France international has not seen a minute of action for Jurgen Klopp's men this season, but the Reds are not interested in loaning the out-of-favour centre-back.

Liverpool want Sakho to leave Anfield on a permanent deal and the Liverpool Echo claims the Merseysiders have placed a £20m (€23.1m) price tag on the defender, who has not played since April. Southampton are currently in the market for a new centre-back, with club captain Jose Fonte set to leave after handing in a transfer request earlier this month. The Euro 2016 winner is attracting interest from West Ham United and Liverpool's close rivals Everton.

Claude Puel's side are not the only ones interested in offering the Liverpool outcast an escape route. Crystal Palace and Swansea City have registered their interest in the 26-year-old while La Liga outfit Sevilla, the club that beat Klopp's side in the Europa League final last year, are also monitoring Sakho's situation.

Liverpool have already sold one centre-back this month; Tiago Ilori left for Reading on Wednesday in a deal worth £3m. The Portuguese was brought to Anfield by Brendan Rodgers in 2013 for £7m from Sporting Lisbon but made just three appearances for the club.

Joe Gomez and Lucas Leiva were preferred over Sakho in the heart of Liverpool's defence by Klopp for his side's FA Cup third-round replay win over Plymouth Argyle on Wednesday, and it was the Brazilian who scored the all-important goal for his side as they edged past the League Two outfit 1-0.

Sakho will almost certainly not be included in Liverpool's squad to face Swansea on Saturday. The Reds could turn the heat up on table-toppers Chelsea, who host Hull City on Sunday afternoon, with victory over Paul Clement's men.