Paris Saint-Germain assistant manager Claude Makelele has ruled out the possibility of Mamadou Sakho leaving the club this summer.
Sakho has reportedly drawn interest from Premier League clubs such as Liverpool, Arsenal and Newcastle United, and fuelled further speculation over his future by hinting at an exit last week.
The defender has struggled to force his way past the likes of Thiago Silva and Alex in the PSG starting lineup this season, but Makelele is adamant that the 23-year-old is not for sale.
"Mamadou is the future of the club," Makelele told Le Parisien.
"It is impossible he could leave. Sometimes I also had bad thoughts as a player. He has to reject them. Of course he needs to hear that he is important, but sometimes he has to remain quiet. Mamadou has now reached a level where he cannot act as a child and ask for affection. He is a professional.
"He is in a world where the strongest ones don't say anything. The more Mamadou shows his power on the pitch, the more it will be impossible to not play him. Because he is just a great defender."
Sakho came through the ranks at PSG and has made 189 appearances for the club since making his debut in 2007.
Barney Corkhill
