Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage has acknowledged that Ismaila Sarr requires time to adjust after a desired transfer to Liverpool fell through in the closing stages of the window.
Liverpool actively pursued Sarr as a potential replacement for Cody Gakpo, who was linked with an £80 million transfer to Manchester City. However, high asking prices for both Sarr and Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh led Liverpool to retain Gakpo, halting both proposed moves.
Speaking in a press conference, Sage addressed the disappointment felt by the 28-year-old winger.
”Like every bad situation, time does the job. We need time for that, he needs time too,” Sage stated. “First of all, he needs to recover, because he was and is injured. It doesn’t change, he’s our player and we are happy with that.”
Sage added that playing for a team of Liverpool’s stature remains a common ambition among footballers. “He has to digest it, for sure. It’s a dream for a lot of players to play for this kind of club. He had a good opportunity, but in the end it didn’t work. If he wants to continue to progress, he has to deliver a good season with us, perform, and score goals like he did last year.”
Sarr has since been included in Crystal Palace’s squad for the upcoming Europa League campaign. A mid-season exit appears unlikely, and Liverpool is not expected to revisit their interest in the player.
Following the departure of Mohamed Salah, Liverpool reshaped their attack with high-profile signings, including £123 million winger Bradley Barcola, Florian Wirtz, and Alexander Isak. Reports suggest the Merseyside club will target alternative options for future transfer windows, with Bournemouth’s Rayan and Real Madrid’s Rodrygo among the names monitored for 2027.