Liverpool are continuing their pursuit of Ismaila Sarr despite their opening proposal being knocked back by Crystal Palace, according to reports.
The Reds finally agreed a deal to sign France winger Bradley Barcola from PSG with The Athletic’s David Ornstein confirming that the transfer is now in the final stages.
Liverpool have already signed Victor Munoz from Osasuna as they look to replace Mohamed Salah, who left at the end of the season and has now joined Trabzonspor.
Barcola has been the Merseysiders’ main target for the left wing with their interest dating back to last summer when Liverpool were tracking his availability.
Liverpool are still looking to sign another winger before the transfer deadline with Fabrizio Romano revealing on Wednesday that the Reds have made a £50m proposal to Crystal Palace for Sarr.
Romano posted on X: ‘EXCLUSIVE: Liverpool open talks to sign Ismaila Sarr as new winger! Move follows Minteh deal called off due to Brighton requests. #LFC sent a proposal worth around £50m for Senegal winger who’s keen on move. Crystal Palace already rejected two bids from Galatasaray.’
READ: Liverpool v Nottingham Forest: Prediction, team news, lineups and odds
Before swiftly following it up by claiming: ‘Crystal Palace reject £50m bid from Liverpool for Ismaila Sarr.
‘#CPFC insist on plan to keep the winger after two bids rejected from Galatasaray and now one from Liverpool too.’
But Miguel Delaney in The Independent is insisting that Liverpool are ‘still pursuing’ a deal for Sarr as Andoni Iraola ‘wants to bring in three more players before the end of the transfer window’.
Delaney insists Liverpool have ‘moved on’ from a potential deal for Brighton winger Yankuba Minteh after making two bids but ‘understands the club are not yet discouraged from a deal to bring in Sarr’.
Could Liverpool go back in for Minteh before the deadline?
Liverpool have been put off by Brighton’s £80m valuation of Minteh, who is likely to be out of action for two to three months, but Seagulls boss Fabian Hurzeler has hinted that the Gambia international could still complete a move to the Reds.
Hurzeler told a press conference: “Rumours. Rumours. Let’s see what happens. Again, another example of a player who benefits from the success of the team.
“He benefits, for example, from the hard work of Pascal [Gross], hard work from Jack Hinshelwood, hard work from all the other players. And he knows it.
“Therefore I also think it’s important to understand as a player what you have here, playing for a club like Brighton.
“You have a club that gives you the chance, you team-mates who are really trying to push you, you have a club that is there for you also in tough moments.
“[New Man Utd signing] Carlos Baleba had so many tough moments when he was here; Minteh also had tough moments, but we were always there for them, always tried to help them; their teammates are there for them.”
Hurzeler has made his peace with Brighton being a selling club, he added: “So I think it’s also important for the players to understand what they have here with this club, how the fans are connected, how we are working together.
READ: UCL draw: Arsenal, Man Utd, Liverpool, Man City and Aston Villa find out opponents
“It’s difficult to find a similar environment, or better environment, for potential young players.
“But the same with Minteh, we were successful as a team; that brings attention to him, so let’s see what happens.
“If you ask me if I’ll try to convince him to stay, yes, I try to convince him to stay. But can I control everything? No, I can’t control everything.”
Suggesting Liverpool could still move to sign Minteh again before the transfer window closes, Hurzeler continued: “From my perspective, Minteh, he’s a Brighton player; he needs to commit to this club.
“Because he knows that these rumours only come because he benefits from everything here.
“From how he’s been worked with, how he’s been protected from everyone, how he’s been developed. So I think that’s also important for him.
“Then in the end, we all know, everyone knows, how the football business works. Let’s see the ideas from Liverpool.
“We have a clear idea how we want to go forward, but we have a lot of things in our hands regarding this player.
“But in the end, there’s Tony [Bloom, owner], there’s Paul [Barber, CEO], together with them we try to make the right decision.”
READ NEXT: Romano reveals what Barcola ‘here we go’ means for Gakpo, third Liverpool winger signing