Newcastle United have reportedly been offered the chance to sign £40 million-rated Senegalese speedster Ismaila Sarr from relegation-bound Watford.
According to Football Transfers, Ismaila Sarr is set to leave Watford at the earliest possible opportunity, with the Hornets facing relegation from the Premier League for the second time in three seasons. Newcastle United are now being offered the chance to capture the 24-year-old Senegalese speedster, and his agent has already held talks with the Magpies regarding a potential summer transfer.
Sarr became Watford’s record signing when he arrived from Rennes in 2019 for £25 million. He took the Premier League by storm in 2019/20 but was unable to prevent them from suffering relegation in his debut campaign on English shores.
Sarr starred in the Championship last year with 13 goals and 10 assists, helping the Hornets bounce back at the first time of asking. And although his 2021/22 season has been disrupted by various injuries, he has been a bright spark whenever on the pitch and has registered six-goal contributions in his 21 top-flight outings.
However, with Watford 12 points adrift of safety with four games remaining, it appears like a natural end is on the horizon for both parties, with the Hornets likely to be forced to trim their squad ahead of the upcoming second-tier campaign.
To that end, a whole host of top clubs, including Liverpool and AC Milan, are offering him a route out of the Hertfordshire club. Yet, cash-rich Newcastle United appear to be the favourite to acquire the winger’s services, having already sounded out the player’s representatives.
As per the report, Sarr’s main representatives – Said Rubie and Thierno Saydi – met with Newcastle officials last month in London. Backed by their cash-rich new owners, the Magpies are expected to invest heavily in the summer transfer window.
Plenty of names have already been linked to Newcastle in recent months, and Sarr has been on their radar for some time. Indeed, earlier this month, it was reported that Newcastle had the Watford attacker high on their wanted list.
Howe already has a star winger in Allan Saint-Maximin, but there is a vacancy on the opposite flank. The right-wing position is currently shared between Ryan Fraser and Miguel Almiron, who have been putting in some improved performances of late but have managed only three goals in 53 top-flight appearances between them.
Sarr, with his explosive pace and mazy dribbling, would certainly be a welcome addition to Howe’s attacking options. At 24, the future is quite bright for the Senegalese star and there is a lot of untapped potential for Howe to work with. With just over two years remaining on his current contract at Vicarage Road, a sizable fee of around £40 million has been mooted for Sarr.
Sarr is likely to be a subject of interest from a number of clubs as he is still young, boasts Premier League experience, and has a high ceiling. It remains to be seen where the Senegalese international will be playing his football next season. But as things stand, Newcastle appear in the driving seat, having held a transfer meeting with the player’s agent.
