Liverpool Targets Ismaila Sarr as Mohamed Salah Successor
Liverpool have stepped up their search for a Mohamed Salah successor by submitting a £50m proposal to Crystal Palace for Ismaila Sarr, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The Senegal winger, long admired in Premier League circles, has now moved to the centre of Liverpool’s transfer strategy after a turbulent few weeks in their hunt for wide players.
From Salah’s exit to a frantic winger hunt
Salah’s move to Trabzonspor left a gaping hole on Liverpool’s right flank. Victor Munoz arrived from Osasuna earlier in the summer as the first winger through the door, but the club always wanted another elite option to reshape the attack.
Yan Diomande was the first big swing. Liverpool made him their top target early in the window and even lodged a bid, only to watch the Ivorian steer his way to Real Madrid instead.
Attention then turned to Bradley Barcola. He operates primarily from the left, yet Liverpool’s recruitment team made him their leading winger target, even while scouring the market for a specialist on the right, the territory Salah dominated for years.
Minteh chase stalls, Brighton’s price bites
Yankuba Minteh looked, for a moment, like the answer. Liverpool tested Brighton’s resolve twice this month, only to be knocked back both times.
Ben Jacobs reported that Brighton’s valuation – a hefty £80m – effectively ended the pursuit. He wrote on X that Liverpool viewed their previous £60m offer as competitive, but Brighton still rejected it and made clear they wanted £80m. Liverpool, he added, are not expected to return unless that figure drops.
The pressure finally told on those talks. Romano confirmed that negotiations for Minteh had “gone cold” in the last 24 hours, with Liverpool now “exploring different options for the second winger” and underlining that Barcola remains their “first priority”.
Sarr bid lands as Palace hold firm
That change of course has brought Sarr sharply into focus.
Romano revealed that Liverpool have now opened talks with Crystal Palace and sent a proposal worth around £50m for the 26-year-old, who is described as keen on the move. Palace have already rejected two bids from Galatasaray for Sarr, underlining how reluctant they are to lose him on the cheap.
The Italian reporter had already lifted the lid on Sarr’s situation last week, explaining that the winger had agreed personal terms with Galatasaray and was pushing to leave Selhurst Park. Palace, though, want to keep him and have so far refused to strike a club-to-club agreement.
Sarr’s stance has created visible tension. He was left out of the squad for Palace’s 2-0 defeat to Everton at the weekend, a decision that immediately sparked speculation over his future.
Sage’s explanation, Liverpool’s opening
Crystal Palace head coach Pierre Sage tried to cool the noise. Asked about Sarr’s absence, he admitted the confusion among supporters.
“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.”
While Sage framed it as a fitness call, the backdrop is clear: Sarr wants a move, Galatasaray are waiting, and now Liverpool have arrived with Premier League money and a Champions League platform.
Barcola remains the headline objective for Liverpool’s wide rebuild. But with Minteh effectively off the table and Salah already gone, the £50m bid for Sarr signals a club moving with urgency.
If Palace blink, Liverpool’s new-look attack could soon have its next right-sided spearhead. If they don’t, the window threatens to turn into a high-stakes scramble for one of Europe’s most coveted positions.
