Liverpool Pursues Ismaila Sarr as Mohamed Salah Successor
Liverpool have stepped up their search for a Mohamed Salah successor by tabling a £50m proposal to Crystal Palace for Ismaila Sarr, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The Anfield club have been scouring the market for a right-sided forward all summer after Salah’s move to Trabzonspor, with Victor Munoz already through the door from Osasuna as the first wide addition. But the bigger, marquee replacement has proved harder to land.
From Diomande to Barcola – and a stalled Minteh chase
Liverpool initially locked onto Yan Diomande as their priority winger. A bid went in early in the window, only for the Ivorian to make it clear he preferred other destinations. He eventually got his wish with a move to Real Madrid, forcing Liverpool to redraw their plans.
Bradley Barcola then rose to the top of their shortlist. The Frenchman operates primarily from the left, yet Liverpool have continued to push for him while simultaneously scouring the market for a right-sided option to occupy Salah’s old territory.
Yankuba Minteh briefly looked like that answer. Liverpool saw two bids rejected this month, with their second offer of around £60m considered “competitive” but still turned down by Brighton. As Ben Jacobs reported, Brighton have now slapped an £80m price tag on Minteh – a figure Liverpool are not prepared to meet. With that valuation, a third bid is off the table unless Brighton dramatically soften their stance.
The pressure to find an alternative grew. And quickly.
Romano has since reported that talks for Minteh have “gone cold” over the last 24 hours, with Liverpool moving on to “different options” for what would be their second winger signing of the window. Barcola, he stresses, remains their “first priority”.
Sarr bid signals Liverpool’s next move
That pivot has brought Ismaila Sarr back into the Premier League spotlight. Romano revealed that Liverpool have now opened talks with Crystal Palace and sent a proposal worth around £50m for the Senegal international, who is understood to be keen on the move.
The offer comes on the back of the collapsed Minteh pursuit and lands at a time when Sarr’s future at Selhurst Park is already under intense scrutiny. Palace have already turned down two bids from Galatasaray, with the Turkish club having agreed personal terms with the winger.
Romano reported last week that Sarr is actively pushing for an exit. He was left out of the Palace squad at the weekend amid Galatasaray’s interest, underlining the tension around his situation.
Palace insist on fitness call as Sarr sits out
Crystal Palace boss Pierre Sage moved to explain Sarr’s absence from the 2-0 defeat to Everton, insisting the decision was rooted in fitness, not transfer politics.
“It’s normal (the panic from fans) because two days ago, I said he will play,” Sage said. “Yesterday, we made a medical point with the doctor of the club, the player and me.
“We have chosen that he cannot play because for the moment he’s not really 100%. That’s why we didn’t want to take a risk.”
Palace, for now, want to keep him. Sarr, according to Romano, wants out. Galatasaray are waiting. Liverpool have arrived with Premier League money and a vacancy on the right of their front line.
One way or another, someone is going to have to blink.
