Ismaila Sarr's Future at Crystal Palace Amid Liverpool Interest
Pierre Sage expects Ismaila Sarr to stay at Crystal Palace despite Liverpool’s move for the winger – and insists the Senegal international is simply injured, not agitating for a transfer.
Sarr, 28, sat out Palace’s Premier League opener against Everton and will also miss Friday night’s home clash with Manchester City. His absence has arrived amid concrete interest: Liverpool have made an approach, while Galatasaray have already seen two bids rejected.
That cocktail of injury and speculation has sparked suggestions Sarr is refusing to train to force a move. Sage shut that down.
“Ismaila Sarr is injured. He is in pain with his groin – that’s why you didn’t see him with us today,” the new Palace boss said. “He is in individual training because he is really in pain with his groin. But we’ll prepare him, he needs time.”
Sage admitted he initially hoped for a quicker recovery but stressed the situation is medical, not tactical or political.
“I thought it would be quicker, but I am not a doctor,” he said. “That is why I wait for him and we prepare for him to come back with us. No chance he plays against City.”
Contract, pressure and Liverpool’s pull
Behind the injury, the bigger question hangs over Sarr’s future. The winger still has three years left on his Palace deal, and Sage was clear when asked if he expects him to stay.
“For the moment, yeah,” he replied. “Because when you have three years on the contract, it is not easy to leave.”
Sage has held repeated talks with Sarr this week and says he understands the strain on a player whose name is suddenly tied to one of Europe’s giants.
“I understand that for everybody to have this kind of contact is difficult, because you hesitate a lot. But for the moment, he is with us. He is under contract,” Sage said.
“It’s always difficult for a player when your name is associated with a club like Liverpool.”
The Palace manager pushed back at any attempt to link Sarr’s groin problem with transfer manoeuvring, insisting the forward has behaved properly.
“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,” Sage said. “I spoke with him this morning about that, yesterday about that, too. And we just want him on the pitch.”
For now, the noise is external. Agents, families, intermediaries – the usual transfer-window traffic. Inside the club, Sage is trying to keep the focus narrow.
“All the rest is for the other people. Football is like this now, we know when it is the transfer window that there is a lot of noise, a lot of stuff for the player,” he said.
“Maybe some of them are not really comfortable with this situation – and their agent, too, their family. That’s why it is not really a good period when you are inside in a club, but you know when it is finished we will only be concerned with our performances. We just have to wait for that.”
While Liverpool weigh their options and Galatasaray consider whether to return with a third offer, Sage’s stance is firm. Sarr is in treatment, under contract and, in his manager’s eyes, still a Palace player.
“For the moment, the most important thing is to understand the player is not able to play and is in treatment, and what happens with his potential future is really far from me,” Sage said.
The window will deliver its verdict soon enough. Until then, Palace wait for a fit Sarr – and for the speculation to finally stop swirling.
