KEY POINTS

  • Seagulls boss Chris Hughton says his side are in the running for the 20-year-old defender.
  • Palace meanwhile would appear to have been priced out a move for the France international.

Crystal Palace appear to have ended their interest in signing Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho as interest from Brighton and Hove Albion in Reds' starlet Joe Gomez emerges.

Sakho was frozen out of the Reds first-team last season, failing to make a single appearance for Jurgen Klopp's side, before enjoying a revival on loan at Crystal Palace during the second half of the 2016-17 campaign. While he made just eight appearances for the south east London club with his season cut short by a serious knee injury, the France international played a pivotal role in keeping the Eagles in the Premier League and was nominated the club's player of the season.

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Liverpool's £30m asking price for Sakho has complicated Palace's efforts to bring him back to Selhurst Park on a permanent basis, however. New manager Frank de Boer suggested this week he will first assess his current options before deciding on which areas he must improve; but even if the Dutchman feels Sakho would be a valuable asset, Palace would now appear to be looking elsewhere.

"We have other business to get done," owner Steve Parish told radio station Sirius XM when asked about the former PSG defender.

While Palace's interest may be disappearing, it remains to be seen if Sakho will have a role to play under Klopp next season. The same can be said about Joe Gomez, who, despite being thought highly of by his manager, could be keen on securing first-team opportunities for himself with a loan move.

Newly promoted Brighton are prepared to offer him those opportunities at the AMEX Stadium, with manager Hughton hopeful his side can strike a deal.

Mamadou Sakho
Sakho was pivotal in Palace maintaining their Premier League status but a return to the capital now seems unlikely. Reuters

He told The Argus: "We have registered our interest but he is not our player. It will be up to Liverpool. I'd like to think we are very much in the running."

Gomez returned from a serious knee injury last season but spent most his campaign playing for the club's Under-23 side, making just three appearances in Liverpool's short-lived FA Cup campaign.

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