Mamadou Sakho is the focus of an astonishing £30million wrangle.

The France international defender is likely to be at Crystal Palace before the transfer deadline at 11pm on Thursday.

But in a game of brinkmanship Liverpool rejected a Palace offer of £25m, including £3m in add-ons, on Tuesday — the Londoners' third bid of the summer for the player.

Liverpool want the bonus payments to take the deal to £30m.

Palace, who had Sakho for a successful loan spell last season, are ahead of Leicester and West Brom in the race to land the giant stopper.

Klopp is in need of a centre-back but is not prepared to look at Sakho again (
Image:
Reuters)
Sakho has not been handed a way back under Klopp (
Image:
John Powell)

The 27-year-old hasn't played for the Reds since April 2016, his relationship with manager Jurgen Klopp breaking down after he angered the manager with repeated breaches of club discipline.

But in proof of the crazy inflation in this summer’s window, his value has soared.

Ex-Palace boss Sam Allardyce backed the move, and wants Liverpool to let Sakho rebuild his career at Selhurst Park.

He said: “He was fabulous for me. He was outstanding.

"One of the reasons we stayed up at Palace was Mana’s defensive quality. In the time he spent with us, he turned around what was a very leaky defence.”

Palace have lost all three games so far this season under Allardyce's successor, Frank de Boer.

The Dutchman takes his side to Burnley a week on Saturday, after the international break, needing inspiration to keep his job even though he's only been in charge for a couple of months in charge.

While cashing in on Sakho, Liverpool are willing to spend £150m on Monaco midfielder Thomas Lemar of Monaco and Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk — but are finding their current clubs to be awkward sellers.

poll loading

Will Liverpool finish inside the top four?

20000+ VOTES SO FAR