Liverpool's Bid for Ismaila Sarr Faces Setback

Liverpool’s chase for Ismaila Sarr has hit a wall for now – and Crystal Palace boss Sage is adamant the winger’s absence has nothing to do with transfer brinkmanship.

With a move for Yankuba Minteh collapsing, Liverpool turned their attention to Sarr and lodged a £50 million bid, cranking up the noise around the 28-year-old. Rumours quickly followed that the forward was refusing to train in a bid to force a switch to Anfield or Galatasaray.

Sage has shut that down.

“Ismaila Sarr is injured. He is in pain with his groin – that’s why you didn’t see him with us today,” the Palace manager said, as reported by the Liverpool Echo. “He is in individual training because he is really in pain with his groin. But we’ll prepare him, he needs time.”

Sarr sat out Crystal Palace’s Premier League opener against Everton and will also miss Friday night’s meeting with champions Manchester City, a significant blow for a side already bracing against intense transfer speculation.

Sage didn’t pretend the Liverpool link is insignificant. He knows exactly what it does to a player’s head.

“It’s always difficult for a player when your name is associated with a club like Liverpool,” he admitted. “For the moment, the most important thing is to understand the player is not able to play and is in treatment, and what happens with his potential future is really far from me.”

With the transfer window ticking towards its close, the spotlight on Sarr has only sharpened. Liverpool’s interest, plus talk of Galatasaray and Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal, has turned the winger into one of the window’s late-story characters.

Sage has tried to shield him from the chaos. He held private talks with Sarr this week, aiming to keep his mindset clear while the outside noise grows louder.

“I understand that for everybody to have this kind of contact is difficult, because you hesitate a lot,” Sage said. “But for the moment, he is with us. He is under contract. He is injured and maybe you can make a link between his injury and the situation. But for me, he is honest and I have no problem with that.”

Three years remain on Sarr’s deal at Selhurst Park. Liverpool have made their move. Palace have drawn their line.

Now the clock on the window will decide who blinks first.