Liverpool’s interest in Crystal Palace forward Ismaïla Sarr may have been little more than a negotiating tactic designed to help secure Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain, according to talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook.
Crook questioned whether Liverpool were ever seriously prepared to pursue the Senegal international, despite reports linking them with a move for the 28-year-old during the closing stages of the summer transfer window.
Liverpool’s Ismaïla Sarr interest questioned
Speaking to talkSPORT, Crook said Liverpool had held an initial conversation with Palace chairman Steve Parish but did not follow it up with the level of urgency expected for a genuine transfer push.
“I also wonder how serious Liverpool were when it came to Ismaïla Sarr or Yankuba Minteh in particular,” Crook said, suggesting the two Premier League players may have been used to put pressure on PSG during negotiations for Barcola.
“Was this not just a ‘fishing expedition’ in order to smoke out PSG and make sure they got the Bradley Barcola deal done?” he added.
Crook said Liverpool wanted to improve their options on the right side of attack, but believed the club’s initial contact with Palace was brief and that no serious move for Sarr developed.
“I don’t think this move to Liverpool was ever that realistic,” he said.
Liverpool ultimately completed the signing of Barcola from PSG on August 31. The France international signed a long-term contract and was handed the number 29 shirt after a lengthy period of negotiations.
Sarr, meanwhile, remained at Crystal Palace after the transfer deadline passed on September 1. Palace had previously made clear that they were reluctant to sell the forward, while manager Pierre Sage said he expected the player to stay at Selhurst Park.
The outcome has added weight to the theory that Liverpool’s pursuit of Sarr and Brighton winger Minteh was partly intended to strengthen their position in talks over Barcola, rather than representing two fully developed alternative deals.
With Barcola now at Anfield, Liverpool have addressed one of their attacking priorities, although Crook’s comments suggest the club’s interest in Sarr was never as advanced as the transfer speculation indicated.
