Liverpool switch focus to Ismaïla Sarr after Brighton reject both Minteh bids

Liverpool have turned their attention to Crystal Palace's Ismaïla Sarr after Brighton rejected two separate bids for Yankuba Minteh. The Anfield club is searching for wide attackers before Tuesday's transfer deadline and sees the 27-year-old Senegal international as a proven Premier League option.

• Brighton have rejected Liverpool offers of £50m and £60m for 22-year-old winger Yankuba Minteh.
• Ismaïla Sarr scored 21 goals for Crystal Palace last season and has 81 caps and 23 goals for Senegal.
• Palace are not open to selling Sarr this summer despite interest from Galatasaray last week.
• Sources say a bid has been made by Liverpool, though both clubs deny it.
• Liverpool are also in talks with PSG over French winger Bradley Barcola and want two attacking signings before the deadline.

Ismaïla Sarr: the right-sided threat Liverpool are weighing up

Sarr, 27, is a right-sided winger with a strong scoring record and deep Premier League experience. He netted 21 goals for Palace last season, a return that has put him back on the radar of top clubs after previous spells at Watford and in France.

At international level he has won 81 caps for Senegal and scored 23 goals, making him one of the most experienced attackers in the Teranga Lions squad. His pace, direct running and ability to cut inside from the right fit the profile Liverpool are targeting to boost their wide options.

Why Brighton rejected two Liverpool bids for Minteh

Before shifting focus to Sarr, Liverpool tried to land Yankuba Minteh, the 22-year-old Gambian winger currently at Brighton. The Reds submitted two bids, worth £50m and £60m, but the south-coast club refused to negotiate a sale.

Brighton see Minteh as a valuable asset with significant room for growth, already proven in the Premier League. The double rejection forced Liverpool's recruitment team to consider alternatives and reignite their interest in Sarr as a viable option before the window shuts.

Barcola remains on Liverpool's radar as PSG talks continue

Alongside the Sarr situation, Liverpool continue negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain over French winger Bradley Barcola. The France international is a target the coaching staff believe can add pace, unpredictability and end product to the attack.

The club wants to complete two attacking signings before Tuesday, meaning Sarr and Barcola are not necessarily alternatives to each other. Both deals could still be pushed through in parallel during the final hours of the transfer window if talks progress.

Palace stand firm: Sage responds to the Sarr speculation

Crystal Palace have made it clear they do not want to sell Sarr this summer. The Senegal winger still has three years left on his contract and the London club considers his continuity a priority. Galatasaray also made an approach last week but received no encouragement.

Palace manager Pierre Sage was asked whether he expects Sarr to stay and kept his answer measured: "For the moment, yes, because when you have three years on the contract it is not easy to leave." He also suggested the player's current injury might be linked to the uncertainty around his future, while defending his professionalism.

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's contract dispute adds to Palace's end-of-window uncertainty

Sarr is not the only Palace player facing an uncertain future. Jean-Philippe Mateta, the 29-year-old France striker, is arguing that the final year of his contract should be ruled invalid because the club activated an extension option on his original four-and-a-half-year deal.

FIFA ruled the matter outside its jurisdiction and a Premier League independent tribunal has already heard the case. Despite the dispute, Mateta remains a Palace player and Sage offered a calm assessment: "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."

What is at stake for Liverpool in the final hours of the window

Liverpool enter the closing stretch of the transfer window needing to strengthen a key area of the squad. The priority is wide attackers, with two signings planned to add depth, tactical variety and competition on the flanks. Sarr and Barcola both fit that brief as quick, direct wingers.

Time is short. The deadline falls on Tuesday and Brighton have already closed the door on Minteh, while Palace are resisting any sale of Sarr. Liverpool must move fast if they want to avoid finishing the window without the reinforcements they have identified as essential for the new project.