Surely Liverpool should have learned their lesson?
Crystal Palace are now adamant that Ismaïla Sarr will not be allowed to leave Selhurst Park before the transfer window closes, according to TEAMtalk. Sarr has been the subject of Liverpool enquiries this summer and has reportedly made it clear that he wants to leave Palace.
And once again, Liverpool find themselves trying to do business with Crystal Palace right at the end of the transfer window.
If that sounds familiar, that’s because it is.
Haven’t we been here before?
Exactly one year ago, Liverpool were involved in another dramatic deadline-day saga involving Palace.
The Reds had agreed a £35m deal for Marc Guéhi, with the England international reportedly having undergone part of his medical and Liverpool submitting a deal sheet.
Yet the transfer still collapsed.
Why?
Because Palace couldn’t secure a replacement.
Despite everything seemingly being in place, Palace pulled the plug at the last minute.
Liverpool had done almost everything necessary to sign the player.
But they had left themselves at the mercy of Crystal Palace’s ability to find another defender.
And it ultimately cost them.
Now it’s Sarr
Fast-forward 12 months and we’re potentially watching the same movie again.
Liverpool want Sarr.
Sarr apparently wants to leave.
Liverpool have made enquiries and have reportedly tried to find a way of getting the deal done.
But Palace don’t want to sell.
And now we’re on Deadline Day.
According to the latest report, Palace are adamant that Sarr will remain at Selhurst Park.
So why did Liverpool allow themselves to get into this position again?
Palace hold all the cards
This is the problem with trying to sign an important player from a club on the final day of the window.
Palace don’t have to sell.
Sarr still has three years remaining on his contract, according to reports, meaning Liverpool can’t simply force the situation.
And Palace know Liverpool are desperate for another attacking option.
That gives them enormous negotiating power.
If Palace decide they don’t want to sell, Liverpool can’t just click their fingers and make it happen.
Liverpool knew they needed another attacker
That’s what frustrates me most.
Liverpool knew they needed attacking depth.
Mohamed Salah had already left.
Cody Gakpo’s future became uncertain.
Liverpool had failed to sign Yankuba Minteh.
They eventually brought in Bradley Barcola — an outstanding signing — but there was still a need for more options.
So why wasn’t Sarr dealt with earlier?
Why leave it until the final hours?
Sarr would make sense
I can understand why Liverpool want him.
Sarr has Premier League experience.
He’s quick.
He’s powerful.
He’s versatile.
And he can play across the front line.
Those are exactly the qualities Liverpool need in a squad that is going to have to cope with the Premier League, Champions League and domestic competitions.
He would give Andoni Iraola another genuine attacking option.
And after Liverpool’s struggles to create enough opportunities for Alexander Isak against Nottingham Forest, having another player capable of carrying the ball and attacking space wouldn’t hurt.
But Liverpool can’t keep waiting
This is where I think Liverpool need to be ruthless.
If Palace are genuinely refusing to sell, move on.
Don’t spend the entire day hoping Steve Parish suddenly changes his mind.
Don’t leave the manager waiting until the final hour.
Don’t repeat what happened with Guéhi.
Liverpool need alternatives ready.
If Sarr becomes available for a sensible fee, brilliant.
Get the deal done.
But if Palace are determined to keep him, Liverpool need to accept that and move to the next target.
Palace have done this before
And Palace have every right to protect their players.
From their perspective, they don’t want to lose an important attacker on the final day without having time to replace him.
That’s exactly what happened with Guéhi.
They couldn’t find the replacement they wanted, and the deal collapsed.
So Liverpool should have known this was a possibility.
They should have anticipated Palace’s stance.
They should have had a plan B — and preferably a plan C — ready to go.
This isn’t just about Sarr
For me, this is about Liverpool’s transfer strategy.
You can spend £123m on Bradley Barcola.
You can spend £125m on Alexander Isak.
You can make statement signings that excite the supporters.
But you also need to make sure the squad is balanced.
And if Sarr doesn’t arrive, Liverpool need to ask themselves whether they have enough attacking depth.
Because the last thing Iraola needs is another injury leaving him with limited options.
My verdict
Why didn’t Liverpool learn from last year?
That is the question I keep coming back to.
The Guéhi saga showed exactly what can happen when you try to negotiate with Crystal Palace at the very end of the window.
Palace can simply say:
No.
And that’s what they’re saying again with Sarr.
The difference this time is that Liverpool have had an entire summer to work on this.
If they really wanted Sarr, I would have preferred them to make their move weeks ago rather than waiting until Deadline Day.
Maybe Palace would still have refused.
Maybe they would have demanded an enormous fee.
But at least Liverpool would have known earlier.
Instead, we’re potentially heading for another dramatic final few hours.
Liverpool should have learned from Marc Guéhi.
Don’t let Crystal Palace dictate your entire Deadline Day again.
If Sarr can be signed, get it done.
If he can’t, move on quickly and get Iraola another attacker.
Because Liverpool can’t afford to finish another transfer window wishing they’d acted sooner.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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