Bakary Sako left West Bromwich Albion for Crystal Palace in 2019, but the 31-year-old struggled for playing time at Selhurst Park and was released only six months after re-joining the South London club. Sako made the switch to Pafos last summer but hasn’t featured for Cypriot side since November.
So, how did it all go wrong for Sako?
The 31-year-old joined West Brom on a free transfer in October 2018 and went on to make six appearances in all competitions, scoring one goal. He lasted only three months at the Hawthorns before joining Palace in January 2019, but things spiralled after that.
As per Transfermarkt, Sako failed to make the matchday squad in Palace’s 1-1 draw with Southampton on January 30 and amassed just one minute from the bench in the Eagles’ 2-0 win over Fulham on February 2. The Malian international was an unused substitute in their 1-1 draw with West Ham United on February 9 before spending two months out with a calf injury.
He returned on April 14 to get five minutes from the bench in Palace’s 3-1 defeat to Manchester City. Sako was then an unused substitute in the Eagles’ 3-2 win over Arsenal on April 21 and 0-0 draw with Everton on April 27. He saw out the season with 17 minutes in the 3-2 win over Cardiff City (May 4) and had three minutes from the bench in the 5-2 win over Bournemouth (May 12).
Sako only amassed 26 minutes of football for Palace before his release, but his move to Pafos didn’t go to plan either. The 31-year-old featured six times for his new club before picking up an injury that has kept him out for the last four months. Sako has another year on his deal at the Stelios Kyriakides Stadium until 2021, but it remains to be seen if he’ll stick around.
His best days may be behind him.