Liverpool’s hunt for reinforcements out wide has taken up much of the closing weeks of the transfer window.
Yankuba Minteh was expected to be the man to fill the void left by Mohamed Salah’s exit, but that pursuit has hit a snag.
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Brighton have raised their valuation of the Gambia international to £80m, a figure well above what Liverpool are prepared to pay.
The Reds had already seen two bids rejected for the 22-year-old, the most recent worth £60m.
Bradley Barcola remains Liverpool’s top target in attack, with talks between the Reds and Paris Saint-Germain ongoing.
But Liverpool are looking to add two attacking players before the deadline, not one, and Minteh’s stalling price has forced them to look elsewhere for the second addition.
That search has led Liverpool to Crystal Palace.
According to the Daily Mail, Liverpool have checked on Ismaila Sarr as they weigh up their options in the closing stages of the window.
The report adds that Palace’s concern is finding a quality replacement at this stage of the summer, and they will not sanction a sale unless one is already in place.
“Palace’s concern is finding a quality replacement at this stage and they will not do a deal unless they have one in place.”
That stance explains why Palace have so far resisted approaches for their winger.
Liverpool have sent a proposal worth around £50m for Sarr, and the Senegal international is keen on the move, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Crystal Palace have already rejected two bids from Galatasaray for the same player.
Ismaila Sarr was left out of Palace’s Premier League opener against Everton, a game the Eagles lost 2-0.
He scored 21 goals in 45 appearances across all competitions last season, contributing nine goals in the Premier League and another nine during Palace’s Conference League-winning run.
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