Liverpool Pursues Ismaila Sarr as Minteh Deal Cools

Liverpool’s chase for a successor to Mohamed Salah has taken another sharp turn, with Ismaila Sarr emerging as a serious option after the club backed away from a costly move for Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh.

Liverpool cool on Minteh as price soars

Liverpool had been deep in talks for Minteh, a long-standing target first flagged during Arne Slot’s previous interest in the winger. The Reds opened with a £50 million bid to Brighton, then quickly upped that to £60m when the initial offer was rejected.

Inside Anfield, the working assumption was clear: £70m would probably get it done. Liverpool even weighed up a third offer over the past few days.

Then the mood changed.

Multiple sources, including Fabrizio Romano and Ben Jacobs, report that Brighton pushed their demands up to around £80m during fresh negotiations. At that point, Liverpool stepped back. Romano says the club have “gone cold” on Minteh and are now actively “exploring different options for the second winger” to come in alongside Bradley Barcola.

Those options are starting to take shape.

Sarr back on the radar

Crystal Palace’s Ismaila Sarr has forced his way into the conversation. Turkish journalist Nevzat Dindar revealed on Saturday that Liverpool are “interested” in the Senegal international, setting up a potential three-way tug-of-war with Galatasaray and, lurking in the background, Manchester United.

Dindar outlined just why Sarr is in demand: his ability to operate across the attacking line, a versatility that Galatasaray boss Okan Buruk “wants very much.” Galatasaray, he said, are “extremely serious” about signing the winger, while Palace are just as firm in their stance not to sell.

The situation is already spilling onto the pitch. According to Dindar, Sarr wants to leave and was left out of the squad on Saturday for that very reason.

Liverpool are not alone in watching closely. Manchester United are monitoring developments as Galatasaray push to find a breakthrough in negotiations with Palace.

The numbers are stark. Club sources indicate Palace want at least £50m to part with Sarr. Galatasaray, by contrast, are trying to strike a deal in the £30-43m range. There is a gap to bridge.

For Liverpool fans, the appeal is obvious. Sarr has tormented them for years. Across spells at Watford and Palace, he has racked up seven goals and two assists in just 10 appearances against the Reds. An old nemesis could yet become a new weapon.

Mbaye remains in play

Sarr is not the only name on the table. Paris Saint-Germain’s Ibrahim Mbaye, a team-mate of Barcola, remains another live option.

Liverpool have already agreed a five-year contract with the 18-year-old and held talks with PSG. The sticking point is familiar: price. Reports differ on what PSG want, with figures ranging from £43m up to £60m.

On Tuesday, Ben Jacobs laid out the current state of play, tying Minteh and Mbaye together in Liverpool’s thinking.

“With Minteh, they held some talks over the weekend. They’re deciding today; so it could change any minute and very quickly whether they want to make a third bid,” he said.

“If they go to £70m, it’ll be a done deal, according to Brighton sources. My sense is Liverpool might consider £65m first. That was discussed at the weekend, but I think if Liverpool bid one more time it’ll almost be a final bid, because they’ve got other options [like] Ibrahim Mbaye.

“But PSG want €70m [£59.8m], which is still equivalent to Minteh. So, they’ve got two options now at roughly the same price. But my expectation is that it’s Barcola plus one.”

That is the crux of Liverpool’s summer. Barcola is viewed as the first piece. The second is still up for grabs.

Do they pay a premium for Minteh after stepping away once already? Do they turn an old tormentor in Sarr into a new hero at Anfield? Or do they double down on youth with Mbaye at a Minteh-level fee?

Liverpool have drawn their line on price once. The next move will tell everyone how far they are truly prepared to go to shape the post-Salah era.