Newcastle United are reportedly plotting a summer swoop for Watford winger Ismaila Sarr, who is also a transfer target for Liverpool.
According to The Sun, cash-rich Newcastle United are set to rival Liverpool to sign Watford star Ismaila Sarr, as the Hornets’ chances of avoiding relegation from the Premier League look to be waning.
Following some substantial spending in January, all eyes will be on Newcastle when the summer transfer market reopens in June. With manager Eddie Howe managing to turn the tide on Tyneside with a run of results steering the Magpies away from the relegation zone, most anticipate the northeast giants to remain in the Premier League and plan accordingly in terms of squad building ahead of next season.
Going by Newcastle’s recent links to Eberechi Eze and Jeremy Doku, it appears Howe has identified the right-wing position as an area in need for improvement in the next widow despite the recent upturn in the form of Ryan Fraser. Now, the Magpies will look to raid their relegation rivals Watford in the summer for highly-rated Senegalese winger Ismaila Sarr.
Sarr joined Watford from Ligue 1 club Stade Rennais for a club-record £30 million fee in 2019 and has gone on to produce a tally of 24 goals and 17 assists in 86 appearances in all competitions since moving to Hertfordshire. He was one of the very few bright spots in their 2019/20 relegation campaign, and eyebrows were raised when he stayed put at Watford in 2020 to continue his progression despite heavy interest.
Sarr was an integral part of the side that won promotion from the second-tier last season and carried that red-hot form into this season, scoring four goals in the opening six league games. However, injuries halted his progress for most of this campaign, although he played his part in Senegal winning the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year.
Watford have held-off interest from the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United and Crystal Palace for their star man previously. He is set to be one of several high-profile departures at Vicarage Road at the end of the season, even if the Hornets does somehow retain their flailing Premier League status. Indeed, the Senegalese winger has plenty of suitors in the market, with Liverpool holding a long-standing interest.
With Divock Origi expected to depart at the end of the season, signing someone like Sarr would represent a direct improvement on the Belgian international owing to his explosiveness, versatility and consistent threat in the final third.
As for Newcastle, they would do well to add a quality winger like Sarr to their roster as they continue to build an exciting team under their wealthy owners. With the possibility of a transfer battle with the Reds, the Magpies will count on their financial strength to stand a chance of enticing the electric winger ahead of Liverpool this summer.
The 24-year-old will still have two years left on his contract when the summer rolls around. So this is perhaps the right time for the Hornets to sell their prized asset and make some profit on the £30 million they invested in the winger.
