Watford rejected Crystal Palace’s offer for Ismaila Sarr, as the Eagles will have to smash their transfer record to sign the Senegal international.
According to Foot Mercato, Crystal place have seen their bid for Ismaila Sarr rejected out of hand by Watford. The offer was reportedly around €25 million, which falls well below the player’s valuations set by the Hornets.
Since Ismaila Sarr’s first season at Watford, the winger has been linked with a move away. Somehow the Hornets have managed to hang on to their prized asset, and are again refusing to budge on their asking price.
Sarr was trending on social media recently following a 50-yard strike against West Brom. Having spent three years at Watford, the Senegalese winger could finally be ready to move and there is significant interest from Premier League clubs, although his asking price is a stumbling block.
The 24-year-old has admirers in Liverpool, Crystal Palace, Leeds United and Everton. West Ham also registered an interest earlier, which confirms that if Sarr becomes available, he will have no shortage of suitors.
Watford know very well that with Sarr they have a tremendous chance to gain promotion next summer. So, they will not let him go for cheap. The Hornets paid around £30 million for the forward and will demand a fee in that region as a bare minimum.
Crystal Palace have now seen a bid rejected by the Hornets, who are not ready to consider bids below their valuations. The Eagles reportedly offered around €25 million (£20 million) for the winger, which the Championship side deemed insufficient.
While Palace are pushing for a move, they may have to smash their transfer record to have a shot at luring Sarr. They had paid £27 million for Christian Benteke, which remains their record transfer fee, and it will take a fee close to the £30 million mark to sign the Senegalese international from Watford.
With two years left on his deal, Watford are in no rush to sell the player. However, the indications are they might be willing to do business on their terms. The Hornets have sold some important players, such as Emmanuel Dennis, in this window and may end up depleting their attack by selling Sarr.
There are still around two weeks left in the transfer window, and much could happen in that period. Could we see Sarr finally moving out of Watford? The Senegal international may seem to be heading back to the Premier League, although pointing towards his exact destination could be a difficult task at the moment.