Liverpool Faces Setback in Ismaïla Sarr Pursuit for Salah Replacement
Liverpool’s search for a right-winger has hit another wall, with Crystal Palace making it clear that Ismaïla Sarr is going nowhere this summer.
The Anfield club moved for the 28-year-old as they continue to scour the market for a long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah. Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano reported that Liverpool tabled a bid of €58.4 million for the Palace star, but The Athletic painted a different picture, suggesting no formal offer was ever lodged.
What is not in dispute is Liverpool’s intent. The club did make an enquiry about Sarr’s availability — and received a firm response: Palace do not want to sell.
Palace Stand Firm as Interest Mounts
Sarr’s stock has never been higher. He has racked up 116 Premier League appearances and played a starring role in Crystal Palace’s Europa Conference League triumph, scoring 21 goals in the competition for the Eagles. Performances of that level were always going to draw attention, and this summer the calls have grown louder.
Galatasaray tested Palace’s resolve earlier in the window, seeing two bids rejected. The Turkish side are now expected to walk away rather than push again with an improved offer. Palace have sent the same message to Liverpool — Sarr is central to their plans.
Liverpool’s Right-Flank Puzzle
This has been a messy, drawn-out summer for Liverpool in their attempt to reshape the right-hand side of their attack. With Salah’s future and succession plan looming over every decision, the club have explored several options.
They had initially targeted Yankuba Minteh, only to cool their interest when Brighton’s valuation became clear. The Seagulls were said to want around €90 million for the winger, a figure Liverpool were not prepared to meet. That pushed Sarr to the forefront of their thinking.
The recruitment team at Anfield have also held extensive discussions over PSG’s Ibrahim Mbaye, another right-sided option heavily debated internally. At the same time, Liverpool remain in talks to sign Bradley Barcola from PSG. The French international prefers to operate from the left, which would add a different dynamic to the forward line rather than directly filling Salah’s role.
For now, though, the message from Palace is uncompromising. If Liverpool want their new right-winger before the window closes, they will have to look elsewhere — and quickly.
