Jurgen Klopp has offered Mamadou Sakho a Liverpool lifeline by insisting that the defender could still be a part of his plans this season.
The 26-year-old has not featured for the Reds since scoring in the 4-0 demolition of rivals Everton in April, having been forced to sit out the closing weeks of last season due to a failed drugs test.
Sakho later saw the decision overturned by UEFA and was given the green light to resume training with Liverpool, but Klopp sent the Frenchman home from the club's pre-season tour in the United States for disciplinary reasons and he was then made available for loan.
Klopp has since named Sakho in his 25-man Premier League squad, however, despite warning the centre-back that he would not be given a single minute of playing time if he refused to go out on loan, and has now opened the door further for a potential return to first-team action.
"After closing of the window the situation is like it is and you cannot change your squad," he told reporters. "Now it is about making Mama fit - which he isn't after this long time with suspension and injury - and we will see what happens. I have no idea what happens when because it is who plays how, who performs when, our results.
"At the end Mama knows and I know and from my side that is enough. It's not a problem. You don't have to gain my trust. He didn't play football for a long time, he needs to play football. That's difficult here because the other players are fit.
"We had to speak about it before the window closes - that's what I did. I'm not silly enough to forget good performances. We have one more good centre-half so it is all good but for him it needs time."
Sakho made 34 appearances for Liverpool in all competitions prior to his drugs ban, including 29 under Klopp after he replaced Brendan Rodgers as manager in October.
Daniel Lewis
