Liverpool Pursue Ismaila Sarr as Mohamed Salah Replacement

Liverpool have stepped up their search for a Mohamed Salah replacement by submitting a £50 million proposal to Crystal Palace for Ismaila Sarr, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Anfield club have spent the summer trying to rebuild their wide options after Salah’s surprise move to Turkish side Trabzonspor. Victor Munoz arrived from Osasuna earlier in the window as the first winger through the door, but Liverpool always planned to add a second attacker.

Their strategy has been anything but straightforward.

From Diomande to Barcola – and a dead end with Minteh

Liverpool initially pushed hard for Yan Diomande, making him their top target early in the window and even tabling a bid. The Ivorian, though, had other ideas and eventually chose Real Madrid, forcing the Reds to pivot quickly.

Bradley Barcola then surged to the top of their list. The Frenchman operates primarily from the left, yet Liverpool’s most urgent vacancy lies on the right, the channel Salah dominated for years. So the recruitment team began running two tracks at once: Barcola as the marquee left-sided signing, and a separate pursuit for a right winger.

That second track led them to Yankuba Minteh. Two bids went in this month. Two bids were rejected.

Brighton’s stance has been uncompromising. Journalist Ben Jacobs reported that the Seagulls informed Liverpool they want £80m for Minteh, a figure Liverpool consider excessive. A previous £60m offer was viewed at Anfield as competitive, but Brighton still turned it down. The message from Liverpool now is clear: they are not expected to return with a third bid unless the valuation drops significantly.

Romano added to that picture, revealing that negotiations for Minteh have “gone cold” over the last 24 hours, with Liverpool already “exploring different options for the second winger” and maintaining that Barcola “always” remains the first priority.

The Minteh chase has stalled. The search has not.

Sarr emerges as Liverpool’s next major move

Into that gap steps Ismaila Sarr.

Romano reports that Liverpool have opened talks with Crystal Palace and sent a proposal worth around £50m for the Senegal international, who is described as being keen on the move. Palace have already rejected two offers from Galatasaray for Sarr, but Liverpool’s interest changes the landscape.

The approach comes on the back of a turbulent week for the winger at Selhurst Park. Romano revealed last week that Sarr had agreed personal terms with Galatasaray and was pushing to leave, even as Palace resisted a sale. He was then left out of the squad for the 2-0 defeat to Everton, a decision that immediately sparked speculation over his future.

Palace boss Pierre Sage moved to calm the noise, insisting Sarr’s omission was down to fitness rather than transfer drama.

“It’s normal (the panic from fans) because two days ago, I said he will play,” Sage explained after the Everton loss. “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.”

The medical call may have kept him off the pitch. It has not kept him out of the headlines.

A winger rebuild at a critical moment

With Barcola still at the top of Liverpool’s wishlist and Minteh effectively off the table at Brighton’s price, Sarr now sits at the heart of a decisive phase in Liverpool’s attacking rebuild.

Salah is gone. The right flank is open. A £50m proposal is on the table.

The next move belongs to Crystal Palace – and it could reshape Liverpool’s forward line for years to come.