Liverpool have widened their search for a winger by sounding out Crystal Palace’s Ismaila Sarr after Brighton refused two offers for Yankuba Minteh. The move for Sarr remains uncertain, however, with Palace adamant that they do not currently want to sell and reports differing over whether Liverpool have lodged a formal bid.
A search moving beyond Minteh
Liverpool’s pursuit of Minteh has reached an impasse rather than an outright end. Multiple outlets agree that Brighton turned down two proposals, with the latest worth £60m, while Brighton’s valuation is reported to be £80m. Liverpool are not thought willing to bridge that gap at present.
That difference has prompted Liverpool to assess alternatives, and Sarr fits the broad requirement. Like Minteh, he operates naturally from the right side, offers Premier League familiarity and could provide an experienced option in a market that is becoming increasingly compressed ahead of Tuesday’s deadline.
Yet the shift in attention should not automatically be read as a decisive pivot. Liverpool are also still in discussions with Paris Saint-Germain over Bradley Barcola, while reports indicate the club want to bring in two attacking players before the window closes. Their activity looks less like replacing one target with another than constructing a shortlist across different profiles and price points.
The scale of the Minteh valuation is significant in that context. If Brighton retain their £80m stance, Liverpool may decide that the funds required for a player currently sidelined until October are better distributed across more than one addition. Sarr, Barcola and Minteh represent notably different propositions in age, availability and likely cost, which makes the club’s final choices more revealing than the initial enquiry alone.
Bid confusion and Palace’s firm position
The clearest uncertainty surrounds the status of Liverpool’s contact for Sarr. One report says sources believe a bid has been submitted, although both Liverpool and Palace have denied that account. Other reporting characterises the situation as an approach or exploratory contact, while another outlet says no offer has been made.
That distinction matters. An enquiry allows Liverpool to establish Palace’s terms without committing themselves, whereas a written proposal would test a firm resolve that Palace have so far made very clear. The consistent element across the reporting is that Palace see Sarr as unavailable at this stage of the window.
Palace manager Pierre Sage has publicly indicated that he expects Sarr to remain. His view is strengthened by the player’s contract situation: Sarr has three years left on his deal, reducing any pressure on Palace to accept a deal quickly. Palace have already rejected interest from Galatasaray, and reports also point to attention from Al Hilal.
The timing creates an additional obstacle. Palace would need confidence that a suitable replacement could be secured before allowing an established wide player to leave. Their forward planning is complicated further by reported interest in Jean-Philippe Mateta from Aston Villa and Juventus. Even if Liverpool made a convincing financial offer, Palace may regard the potential disruption to two key attacking positions as too great late in the market.
Injury adds another layer
Sarr’s absence has fuelled speculation, particularly after he missed Palace’s opening-weekend loss at Everton. Sage has said the player is injured and rejected any suggestion that he has acted improperly, while acknowledging that transfer interest can create uncertainty for players.
For Liverpool, that makes the medical and practical aspects of any deal as important as the transfer terms. The club are pursuing immediate attacking reinforcement, and the precise nature and likely duration of Sarr’s injury have not been outlined in the reports. A player may still be attractive over a full season, but a late-window acquisition who cannot contribute promptly would alter the calculation.
Minteh’s situation presents a similar consideration, with reports suggesting he is expected to be unavailable until October. That helps explain why Liverpool’s recruitment team are keeping several conversations active rather than treating the Brighton negotiations as their only route.
What Liverpool’s next step will show
Barcola appears to remain a central part of Liverpool’s thinking, but PSG discussions are also ongoing rather than resolved. The French winger may offer a different long-term ceiling, while Sarr would represent a more proven domestic option at 28. Minteh, at 22, is the younger investment whose price has become the major obstacle.
There is also a wider squad question. Reports say Cody Gakpo has attracted interest from Tottenham and Manchester City, though Liverpool are not presently open to selling him. Should that position change, the need for two incoming wingers would become more urgent; for now, it is a contingency rather than the driver of the current talks.
Liverpool’s contact with Sarr therefore looks purposeful but preliminary. Brighton’s resistance has forced them to look elsewhere, yet Palace’s stance is no softer. Unless one of the clubs alters its terms, the next few days may be defined not by Liverpool finding a new name, but by determining which of their several difficult winger deals is actually possible.