West Brom lining up bid for Liverpool outcast?

West Bromwich Albion have reportedly emerged as surprise candidates to sign Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho ahead of next week's transfer deadline.

The France international is not in the first-team picture under Jurgen Klopp, and he is free to leave Anfield, should any club match his £30m valuation.

According to The Telegraph, Baggies coach Tony Pulis is willing to cough up the Reds' asking price as he bids to strengthen his backline before the close of the transfer window.

On-loan defender Ahmed Hegazy has done tremendously well since his match-winning effort against Bournemouth in the league's opener, but Pulis is still concerned by the uncertainty over Jonny Evans' future.

Evans has already been the subject of two bids from Manchester City, and and a third bid of around £30m is likely to be sufficient to do business.

Meanwhile, veteran defender Gareth McAuley is still in the treatment room with a thigh injury he struggled with in the backend of last season.

Sakho was impressive during his loan stint with Crystal Palace in the second half of last season, but new Eagles boss Frank de Boer has deemed his valuation as 'too expensive'.