Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage says Ismaila Sarr needs time to process the collapse of a possible move to Liverpool, with the club also ruling out a January departure for the forward.
Liverpool had considered the 28-year-old Senegal international as a potential replacement for Mohamed Salah. However, the proposed transfer ultimately did not go ahead, leaving Sarr at Crystal Palace.
Sage was asked about the situation and indicated that the player would need time to come to terms with what had happened.
“He needs to digest this,” said Sage.
The Crystal Palace manager also dismissed the prospect of Sarr joining Liverpool during the January transfer window. According to Sage, the club has no intention of allowing the forward to leave midway through the season.
That position is particularly firm because Crystal Palace are involved in European competition. Sage’s comments therefore make clear that the club’s current plan is to retain Sarr for the remainder of the campaign, rather than revisit the transfer situation in January.
Liverpool’s interest had centred on the possibility of Sarr filling the role that could otherwise be left by Salah. The Senegalese forward was viewed as a possible option for the Premier League club, but the move was not completed.
Sage’s latest comments address both the immediate aftermath of the failed transfer and the possibility of a future move during the season. While Sarr had been considered by Liverpool, Crystal Palace do not plan to release him while their European commitments continue.
The manager’s position also means that the transfer will not be revived in January, at least according to the club’s current plans. Sarr is expected to remain a Crystal Palace player despite Liverpool having explored the possibility of signing him.
The failed move is now something Sarr must process, in the words of his manager, while continuing with Crystal Palace. The club’s priority is to keep the 28-year-old available during the season, with its participation in European competition cited as a key reason for refusing to consider his departure.
For Liverpool, the proposed deal ended without Sarr becoming Salah’s replacement. For Crystal Palace, Sage’s comments provide a clear indication that there will be no mid-season exit for the forward.