Liverpool Target Ismaila Sarr as Mohamed Salah Replacement

Liverpool have made their move.

With the transfer window ticking into its final days and Mohamed Salah already gone, the club have reportedly lodged an opening bid for Crystal Palace winger Ismaila Sarr – a player understood to be eager to make the switch to Anfield.

Liverpool change lanes in wide-man hunt

A new winger sits right at the top of Andoni Iraola’s wishlist before next week’s deadline. Victor Munoz has already arrived from Osasuna, but Liverpool’s attacking plan clearly demands another wide forward of starting quality, not just depth, to soften the blow of Salah’s departure.

For much of this month, that player looked like Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh. Liverpool pushed hard, testing Brighton’s resolve with two bids, one of them around £60 million for the 22-year-old. The Seagulls stood firm. Negotiations dragged, momentum stalled over the weekend, and the deal went cold.

So Liverpool pivoted.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the club have now parked their pursuit of Minteh and turned decisively towards Sarr.

£50m bid on the table – and the player wants it

Talks are already under way between Liverpool and Crystal Palace, with the Reds having submitted an offer believed to be in the region of £50 million. Crucially, the green light from the player is already there. Sarr is said to be keen on joining the Merseyside club and stepping into a Champions League-chasing environment.

Whether Palace are prepared to play ball at that price is another matter entirely.

The Eagles have already rejected two bids from Galatasaray earlier in the summer. Sarr is a central figure in their attack and, on paper at least, they hold the power: his contract runs until 2029, leaving them under no immediate financial pressure to sell.

Palace’s dilemma: key man or unhappy man?

Sarr’s importance to Palace is obvious. Last season he struck nine league goals in 28 appearances, including one against Liverpool in a statement win at the start of the campaign. He offers direct running, goals, and a constant outlet on the break – exactly the profile that makes him so attractive to Liverpool.

But there is a tension building. Despite his status, Sarr is understood to be eager to leave Selhurst Park before the window shuts next week. Palace must now weigh the value of holding a long-term asset against the risk of keeping a player whose head has clearly been turned.

He was left out of the squad for the opening-weekend defeat to Everton, officially due to a minor injury. After the final whistle, new manager Pierre Sage moved to calm the noise, stressing both the medical decision and the club’s stance.

“The doctor, the player and I took the decision before our training session yesterday to let him have treatment,” Sage said. “We don’t want him to leave, he is under contract with us for three years and he will be with us on Monday. That’s the most important information for me and for you.”

Sage may want him. The contract may protect him. But with Liverpool at the door, a £50m bid on the table and a player pushing for the move, how long can Palace hold the line?