Crystal Palace Face Sarr Blow as Liverpool Loom
Crystal Palace are bracing themselves to lose Ismaïla Sarr, with the Senegal international actively pushing for a move to Liverpool. The 28-year-old has already signaled his discontent to supporters in modern football fashion by scrubbing all mentions of the Eagles from his Instagram account.
Losing the former Rennes star would be a massive blow for Pierre Sage. Sarr netted an impressive 21 goals in 45 matches for Crystal Palace last season and has frequently been the side’s most reliable clinical finisher in the final third.
Malick Fofana Emerges as Prime Target
To offset Sarr’s impending departure, journalist Pete O’Rourke reports that Crystal Palace are weighing up a move for Lyon winger Malick Fofana.
Lyon are under severe financial pressure, needing to raise £86 million within a year after missing out on qualification for the UEFA Champions League. Valued at roughly 40 million euros (£34 million), 21-year-old Fofana is widely expected to leave before the 11pm transfer deadline as the French club’s most valuable and liquid asset.
While the Belgian international has already turned down an approach from Hull City while holding out for a more prominent switch, he previously admitted to rejecting interest from Liverpool and Chelsea last summer in favor of regular minutes in Ligue 1.
Speaking previously to HBVL, Fofana explained: “There was interest from those two clubs, but ultimately it wasn’t concrete enough… I think it’s more important now that I play a lot, and that has to happen at Lyon because I still have progress to make.”
Alternative Options on the Radar
In a strange twist of fate, Fofana could now find himself moving to Selhurst Park directly triggered by Liverpool’s raid for Sarr.
However, Palace are keeping their options open as the deadline approaches. Real Betis playmaker Abde Ezzalzouli has also emerged as a viable candidate to replace Sarr, alongside ongoing links to Dario Osorio. Meanwhile, interest in Alieu Njie appears to have cooled with the forward reportedly closing in on a move to Fiorentina instead.
