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Crystal Palace has turned down a £50 million offer from Liverpool for Senegalese winger Ismaila Sarr, keeping one of the Premier League’s most explosive attackers at Selhurst Park. The rejection lands with just days remaining in the summer transfer window, leaving Liverpool with shrinking options and a growing sense of urgency.
The bid, submitted on August 26, represents Liverpool’s attempt to land a player who has tormented them more than most. Sarr has scored seven goals in ten career matches against Liverpool, a stat line that apparently convinced the Reds’ recruitment team to adopt a “if you can’t beat him, buy him” philosophy.
Why Palace said no
The club signed Sarr from Marseille for just €15 million in August 2024. Two years later, they have a player who scored 21 goals and added two assists in 45 appearances during the 2025-26 season alone. Palace values Sarr at around €60 million, which is roughly £50 million. So Liverpool’s bid essentially matched the asking price on paper, but “matching” and “exceeding” are different things when you’re trying to pry away a club’s best attacker.
This isn’t even the first bid Palace has swatted away this summer. Galatasaray came calling earlier in August with an offer of approximately €30 million, about £26 million. Manager Pierre Sage has publicly stated his desire to keep Sarr as part of the squad. Sarr is also tied to Palace until June 2029, which means the club holds virtually all the leverage, with no expiring deal to create panic and no release clause to exploit.
Liverpool’s wider pursuit of attacking talent
Liverpool’s interest in Sarr reportedly intensified after the club failed to close a deal for Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh, whose price tag ballooned from an initial £50 million to a reported £80 million during negotiations. Liverpool’s connection to Sarr stretches back to 2020, when he was still at Watford.
Sarr’s transformation into a Palace cornerstone
Sarr has scored 33 goals in 92 total appearances for the club, with 21 of those coming last season. Palace’s runs in both the FA Cup and the Conference League during 2025-26 leaned heavily on his contributions.
Early in the current 2026-27 campaign, Sarr has had limited appearances due to reported groin issues. Palace’s stance in rejecting £50 million suggests they view any fitness concerns as temporary rather than structural.
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