Crystal Palace defender Mamadou Sakho has admitted he had to leave Paris Saint-Germain for the love of the game and accepts if he had not done so he could have been a Paolo Maldini like figure.
Sakho, a firm PSG fan, came through the youth ranks at the capital club and was viewed as a symbol of the side and their commitment to home-grown stars.
But the centre-back gradually found his playing time reduced and took the decision to seek pastures new, ultimately completing a move to Liverpool in the summer of 2013.
Sakho has on occasion been linked with a return to PSG and has left no doubt over his continued feelings for the club.
He admits that he could have been PSG's answer to AC Milan legend Maldini, but says his love of playing meant he had to leave.
"It could have been [that I became PSG’s Maldini]", he told French magazine So Foot.
"At the time, I said that nobody could buy my love of playing football.
"And that pleasure you cannot experience when you are on the sidelines", Sakho added.
Frozen out at Liverpool, Sakho initially joined Crystal Palace on loan in 2017 before making the switch to Selhurst Park a permanent one.
He missed out on a spot in France's World Cup squad in the summer.
