KEY POINTS

  • Merseysiders are reportedly set to demand as much as £30m for player's services.
  • Jurgen Klopp says Steven Gerrard will take charge of academy team next season.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has revealed that Crystal Palace do not have an option to secure the services of Mamadou Sakho on permanent basis at the end of the season. Meanwhile, the German boss confirmed Steven Gerrard is expected to take charge of an Academy team at Anfield ahead of the 2017-18 campaign.

Sakho, 27, agreed a loan move to Sam Allardyce's side on January deadline day having been frozen out by Klopp during the opening stretch of the campaign.

There have been suggestions that Crystal Palace will try to sign him on a permanent basis in the summer after the France international had become key figure in the Eagles' bid to avoid relegation, helping them to secure impressive victories over Chelsea and Arsenal in recent weeks.

However, Klopp has suggested that Palace will need to battle any other potential suitors for the player, revealing the loan agreement does not include an option to make the deal permanent.

"There is no clause in the loan contract," Klopp said in a press conference ahead of Liverpool's trip to West Brom.

Mamadou Sakho
Sakho has been in impressive form since joining Crystal Palace. Reuters

Even so, Sakho is unlikely to stick around at Anfield, with the Liverpool Echo recently revealing the Merseysiders were ready to take advantage of purple patch at Palace to demand as much as £30m (€35.4m) for his services.

Meanwhile, Klopp confirmed that Gerrard is ready to take a step forward in his managerial career by taking charge of an Academy team next season.

"There is not a real announcement in this moment, but what I can probably say is 'yes'," Klopp confirmed after reports suggested that the club legend could take charge of Liverpool's under-18 team in the summer.

"He is doing a real job at the Academy at the moment with his presence and everything, being around and giving advice and leading little or bigger sessions and all that stuff. They all enjoy it a lot. He especially enjoys it a lot,

"Yes, he will be the coach of a youth team next season, I'm pretty sure. But we will tell you exactly which team when we want to tell you."