Mamadou Sakho: Jürgen Klopp reveals the reason defender was sent home from Liverpool pre-season tour

The 26-year-old defender travelled back to Merseyside on Tuesday

Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho (Getty)

Jürgen Klopp has explained the reasoning behind his decision to send Mamadou Sakho home from Liverpool's pre-season tour of the United States.

Sakho, 26, left the squad and travelled back to Merseyside on Tuesday. The club declined the comment on the reasoning behind the decision.

Klopp, however, has now revealed that Sakho was sent home because of his poor timekeeping.

"[Sakho] missed the departure of the plane, he missed a session and then was late for a meal," Klopp said.

"I have to build a group here, I have to start anew, so I thought it maybe made sense that he flew home to Liverpool and after eight days, when we come back, we can talk about it."

Klopp referenced Sakho's punctuality problem in a video which surfaced on Saturday following the team's trip to Alcatraz Island in San Francisco.

Sakho will not be fined for his tardiness after Klopp claiming he was "not interested in the money of the players."

"Not often in my life have I had to fine anybody, because I want that we learn together to do the right thing.

"Always it is the same with every group. I don't like fining."

Sakho is currently nursing an Achilles problem which will prevent him starting the new Premier League campaign. Liverpool's first game is at Arsenal on August 14.

Additional reporting by PA