Injured Sakho to miss start of Liverpool season

Liverpool (AFP) – Mamadou Sakho’s tale of woe continues with the revelation by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp the French international defender is set to miss the beginning of the Premier League campaign.

The 26-year-old — who missed the Europa League final and Euro 2016 over a failed drugs test which he learnt last week UEFA would not be pursuing him over — is suffering from a niggling Achilles problem.

“Mama had a little issue with his Achilles when he was playing, one day on, one off, this kind of thing,” Klopp said.

“When he had his little ‘break’ he used the time to have a little bit of treatment and that now means another three or four weeks before he can train again.

“There was no surgery, he is just not about to train at the moment. He has got some rehab of course and it’s not too good a situation for him, for us, everybody.

“It’s not important what I could say because everyone thinks the same. He’s here, he’s not available at the moment but he is doing rehab. We will see how he reacts to that and then when he can play again.”

Sakho’s likely absence from the beginning of the season next month leaves Klopp short of central defenders.

Slovak veteran Martin Skrtel is in Turkey to sign for Fenerbahce and Ivory Coast’s Kolo Toure has been released leaving Croatia’s Dejan Lovren, Cameroon international Joel Matip, who came on a free transfer from Bundesliga outfit Schalke 04, whilst Germany’s Emre Can is also capable of slotting in at centreback.