Liverpool target Ismaila Sarr after Brighton reject two Minteh offers
Liverpool are exploring a move for Crystal Palace winger Ismaila Sarr after Brighton rejected two bids from the club for Yankuba Minteh, BBC Sport reported on 26 August 2026 as the transfer window approaches its Tuesday deadline. The interest follows Brighton turning down offers of £50m and £60m for the 22-year-old Minteh.
Liverpool's attention has shifted to Sarr, who has 81 Senegal caps, scoring 23 goals, and netted 21 goals for Palace last season; he is a right-sided winger with Premier League experience but Palace are understood not to be open to selling him this summer. Sarr was the subject of interest from Galatasaray last week, according to the report.
Sources told BBC Sport that a bid has been made by Liverpool for Sarr, although both the Reds and Crystal Palace have denied that is the case. Separately, talks are continuing as Liverpool aim to strike a deal with Paris St-Germain for France winger Bradley Barcola.
The club are assessing all options in their search for wide attackers and want to make two signings before the end of the window, with the work intensified ahead of Tuesday's transfer deadline. Liverpool had considered Minteh as a primary target but switched focus after Brighton's refusals.
Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage expressed hope that Sarr and team-mate Jean-Philippe Mateta remain at the club and commented on Sarr's situation: "For the moment, yes, because when you have three years on the contract it is not easy to leave." Sage added when asked about contact from Liverpool: "I understand that for everybody to have this kind of contact [from another club] is difficult, because you hesitate a lot. But for the moment, he is with us. He is under contract. "He is injured and maybe you can make a link between his injury and the situation. But for me, he is honest and I have no problem with that. We just want him on the pitch as quickly as possible."
Mateta faces an uncertain future after BBC Sport revealed that the France striker has been arguing the final year on his Palace contract should be ruled invalid. Despite Mateta and his advisers' contention that the last year of the player's deal is not legally binding because it was an extension option activated by the club on his original four-and-a-half-year contract, the 29-year-old remains a Palace player.
Days before Palace's Premier League opener at Everton, Fifa ruled that the matter was not in its jurisdiction and the case has been heard by a Premier League independent tribunal. On Mateta's stance at the club, Sage said: "He has the behaviour of someone who is happy to be here, who wants to be here and is prepared to be here all season. I don't see a player who has a problem with the club or with us."
Liverpool continue to assess options for wide attacking reinforcements and aim to complete up to two signings before Tuesday's transfer deadline.
