Liverpool are locked in a frantic race against time after Crystal Palace rejected their second offer for Ismaïla Sarr.
The Senegal international has taken matters into his own hands by going on strike and refusing to train at Beckenham. Sarr has also scrubbed all traces of Crystal Palace from his Instagram account, with sources in France revealing he “no longer wants to wear the Crystal Palace shirt.”
Palace are demanding a steep £75 million fee and dragging out negotiations to drive up the price, leaving Anfield chiefs frustrated as the deadline approaches.
Gakpo future hangs in the balance as recruitment drive continues
Bradley Barcola finally arrived on Monday to bolster the forward line, but Anfield bosses refuse to slow down.
Andoni Iraola clearly wants serious strength in depth out wide, placing Cody Gakpo’s future firmly in the balance. Gakpo has set his sights on a move to Manchester City, though he is expected to stay on Merseyside if Liverpool fail to land Sarr before the window closes.
Familiar frustrations over squad planning
The whole situation bears an uncomfortable resemblance to the Marc Guehi saga from last summer, proving that Palace do not make things easy for Liverpool in the market.
Supporters have every right to feel frustrated. Liverpool have had months to plan for life after Mohamed Salah, making a chaotic scramble in the final 48 hours feel entirely avoidable.
Do Liverpool actually need him?
Tactical fit remains a major talking point. Sarr is right-footed, just like Bradley Barcola, Cody Gakpo, Victor Munoz, Rio Ngumoha, and Federico Chiesa.
The squad arguably needs a natural left-footer to unlock different attacking angles, which explains earlier glances toward Chelsea’s Estevao and Bournemouth’s Rayan. Yet, Anfield clearly remains fully focused on pushing this Sarr deal over the line.
With the clock ticking down, supporters will be glued to social media for every twist. Friday’s squad sheet against Ipswich Town cannot come soon soon enough.
