Liverpool Intensify Pursuit of Ismaila Sarr Amidst Transfer Challenges

Liverpool refuse to walk away from Ismaila Sarr – even as another winger slips through their fingers.

Fenway Sports Group’s search for a wide forward has already seen one major target move out of reach and another rebuffed, yet Liverpool are doubling down on the man they now see as the most attainable solution: Crystal Palace’s Sarr.

Liverpool come back for Sarr

Sarr has moved to the top of Liverpool’s attacking shortlist after a flurry of failed moves elsewhere, and the club have already tested Palace’s resolve.

On August 26, The Mirror revealed that Liverpool had lodged a £50 million offer for the 28-year-old Senegal international. The same report stated that Sarr is keen on a switch to Anfield before the window shuts next week, a detail that will not have gone unnoticed in the corridors of power at Liverpool.

Palace, though, did not blink.

Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano reported that the London club rejected the bid and that their plan is to keep Sarr. At 28, he is in his prime, and Palace know exactly what they would be losing: pace, goals, and one of the few genuine one‑v‑one threats in their squad.

Liverpool’s response? Go again.

According to Sky Sport Switzerland journalist Sacha Tavolieri, posting on X at 3:04pm on August 28, Liverpool are “making another push” for Sarr and are preparing a fresh proposal for Palace. The message is clear: the first offer was an opening shot, not a final word.

There is another complication. Tavolieri also reported that Al Ittihad are closely tracking the situation and stand ready to pounce if Liverpool’s pursuit stalls. A Saudi move would change the dynamics entirely, both in terms of salary and the type of project on offer.

For now, though, Liverpool are still in the fight and still pushing.

A winger hunt with near-misses

Sarr is not the first wide player Liverpool have chased this summer, and the pattern is becoming familiar.

Before turning to Palace’s winger, Liverpool went hard for Brighton and Hove Albion’s Yankuba Minteh. Brighton, though, set their price at £70m. Liverpool tested that valuation with two bids, both below the asking figure, and Brighton held their line.

The Merseyside club had already walked away from another expensive option. Paris Saint-Germain’s Ibrahim Mbaye was explored as a potential signing, but PSG’s £60m valuation forced Liverpool to step back. For a player still at the start of his senior career, the numbers did not stack up for FSG.

That hesitation has opened the door for a Premier League rival.

Mbaye heading to Villa, not Anfield

While Liverpool circle Sarr, Aston Villa are closing in on Mbaye.

At 4:10pm on August 28, The Athletic’s David Ornstein reported on X that Villa have reached an agreement in principle with PSG to sign the 18-year-old winger. The deal, worth €55m, is in the process of being finalised, with the relationship between PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and Villa co-owner Nassef Sawiris described as key to getting it over the line.

Liverpool identified Mbaye. Villa are the ones about to unveil him.

It underlines the urgency around Liverpool’s move for Sarr. With Minteh priced out and Mbaye seemingly bound for Birmingham, the options at the elite end of the market are shrinking fast. Sarr, proven in the Premier League and apparently open to the move, has become the focal point of a late-window scramble.

Palace have already said no once. Liverpool are ready to ask the question again. How high they are willing to go – and how long Palace can hold their nerve with Al Ittihad lurking – will define whether this winger search finally ends with a signing or another near miss.