Liverpool Faces Setback in Sarr Pursuit Amid Salah Replacement Search

Liverpool’s hunt for a right‑sided forward has run straight into a brick wall at Selhurst Park.

The club sounded out Crystal Palace over Ismaïla Sarr as they step up efforts to bring in a replacement profile for Mohamed Salah before the transfer window closes. A bid of €58.4 million was reported by Fabrizio Romano, but The Athletic countered that no formal offer was ever lodged. What is not in dispute: Liverpool asked the question. Palace gave a blunt answer.

Sarr is not for sale.

The stance from south London is firm. Galatasaray have already tested Palace’s resolve twice this summer and were sent away empty‑handed on both occasions. The Turkish side are not expected to come back with a third proposal, and Palace see no reason to soften their position now that a heavyweight like Liverpool is circling.

Liverpool’s move towards Sarr comes after a frustrating few months in the market. The club identified Yankuba Minteh as a serious option on the right, only to walk away when Brighton’s valuation climbed too high. The Seagulls were said to be looking for around €90 million, a figure that shut down that avenue and forced Liverpool to look elsewhere.

Attention then swung to Paris. Ibrahim Mbaye at PSG has been heavily discussed internally, part of a wider trawl through Europe’s right‑wing options as Liverpool try to reshape their attack for the post‑Salah era. Sarr is simply the latest name to reach the top of that list.

He is an obvious target on footballing grounds. At 28, Sarr brings established Premier League pedigree, with 116 appearances in the competition. Last season he delivered the best campaign of his career as Palace surged to Europa Conference League glory, scoring 21 goals for the Eagles and driving their European run. Perform like that and the elite will come calling. Palace knew it was coming. They are acting like a club determined to keep their star.

Liverpool, meanwhile, are not limiting themselves to one profile. Talks are ongoing with PSG over Bradley Barcola, the France international who prefers to operate from the left. That pursuit underlines a broader rebuild of the forward line rather than a simple one‑for‑one swap for Salah’s role on the right.

The clock is ticking on the window. Palace have drawn their line over Sarr. Liverpool must now decide whether to test that resolve again or pivot once more in a summer that has already felt like an endless search down narrowing corridors.