CRYSTAL PALACE ARE hopeful they can strike a deal with Liverpool to sign defender Mamadou Sakho on a permanent basis now they have avoided relegation.
Sakho joined on loan in January and impressed in eight appearances to help Palace seal Premier League safety.
The centre-back missed the end of the season with a knee injury but has done enough on and off the pitch to make his temporary club push for a full transfer.
Manager Sam Allardyce said in March it would be difficult to seal a deal amid reports Liverpool have set a £30million [€34m] asking price, but Palace insist they will do all they can to keep him.
“The money needs to work for us and for Liverpool and I’m sure there will be a negotiation on that,” Palace chairman Steve Parish said to Holmesdale Radio.
If we can make it work, of course we would like to [sign him].
“I’m not going to try and be coy about it. He is a very, very good player and I think he likes being with us and we like him, so let’s hope we can do it.”
Sakho stayed with Palace after his injury and attended the 4-0 win over Hull City, with Parish adding: “The player could have gone anywhere once he was injured, he could have gone back to Liverpool but he has been with us and was there on Sunday.
“You can’t be more impressed with that and you can’t con anyone that he didn’t make a massive difference to us, we won some massive games with him.
“He’s a really nice person, he’s a big character, he’s got the respect of all the players and it’s one we’d like to do but of course we have a lot of things we need to do in the summer.”
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