Liverpool have entered the race to sign Crystal Palace winger Ismaila Sarr after talks broke down with Brighton for Yankuba Minteh.
According to a breaking news update from Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool have entered into talks with the winger and Palace after two bids from Galatasaray were rejected.
Romano reports: “Liverpool open talks to sign Ismaila Sarr as new winger! Move follows Minteh deal called off due to Brighton requests. LFC sent a proposal worth around £50m for Senegal winger who’s keen on move. Crystal Palace already rejected two bids from Galatasaray.”
?? EXCLUSIVE: Liverpool open talks to sign Ismaila Sarr as new winger! ???
Move follows Minteh deal called off due to Brighton requests.#LFC sent a proposal worth around £50m for Senegal winger who’s keen on move.
Crystal Palace already rejected two bids from Galatasaray. pic.twitter.com/zQm40sXo8n
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 26, 2026
First reactions: Is Sarr a good alternative?
Liverpool are going to have to rip up their transfer policy for this one, particularly in comparison to their interest in Minteh. The Brighton star is 22, while Sarr is 28, and will offer zero resale value, except for a potential move to Saudi Arabia in a few years.
The good news is that he’s a fantastic goalscorer and, as Liverpool should know better than anyone, he is a very clutch player in big games. The Reds saw their winning streak in 2020 cut short by Sarr himself while he was at Watford.
Sarr was excellent at the World Cup with Senegal after a truly exceptional season with Palace. He managed 21 goals and 2 assists last season, scoring nine in the Premier League and nine in the Conference League.
THAT SAID… He is not the level of player that Liverpool should be signing as a Mohamed Salah replacement.
Liverpool, and Richard Hughes in particular, have made an embarrassment of themselves this summer. For a club so keen to keep their moniker for being one of the shrewdest operators in the business, they have acted with little to no visible planning.