Newcastle United have reportedly decided to cool down their interest in Ismaila Sarr, handing Crystal Palace and Everton a boost in his chase.
According to a report by Football Insider, Everton and Crystal Palace are both interested in signing Watford and Senegalese speedster Ismaila Sarr, who has slipped down on Newcastle’s transfer priority list this summer.
Not many players at relegated sides can hold their heads up high after a miserable campaign, but there are always a few bargains to be had from this talent pool for mid-table clubs. And one player who could be an interesting pick is Ismaila Sarr, who is expected to depart from Vicarage Road this summer following the Watford’s relegation from the Premier League.
The Hornets had another difficult campaign in the top-flight, finishing 19th in the standings, 15 points adrift of safety and only one point above bottom-placed Norwich City. The Senegalese international joined Watford from Stade Rennais in 2019 and has made 92 appearances for the Hertfordshire club, netting 24 goals and providing 18 assists in the process.
Sarr was one of the major driving forces behind Watford’s promotion from the Championship in the first place, providing 23 goal contributions during the 2020/21 campaign. But the 24-year-old is unlikely to play in the second division once again next season and is looking for a way out of Watford.
Sarr endured an injury-hit 2021/22 Premier League season and certainly did not play as much as Watford would have wanted in order to have a chance to stave off relegation, featuring only 22 times, scoring five goals and registering only two assists.
But that has not stopped clubs from lining up a move for the attacker ahead of the summer transfer window, with at least three Premier League outfits expressing their interest in the player. Newcastle United, for example, were thought to be the front-runners for his signature, with Sarr on their wishlist.
The Magpies were even offered the chance to sign the player at the start of this month. However, that does not seem to be the case anymore, as Newcastle’s recruitment team has cooled down their interest and are prioritising other targets ahead of him, possibly due to Sarr’s poor injury record and inconsistent form in the past season.
This stance has allowed other rival clubs, like Everton and Crystal Palace, to leapfrog Newcastle in Sarr’s pursuit. With Richarlison heavily linked with a high-profile move away from Goodison Park, it looks likely that Everton will struggle to keep hold of their influential Brazilian beyond this summer.
To that end, scouring the familiar Watford grounds to sign Ismaila Sarr would be an excellent piece of business from Everton and could help them build on next season provided the Africa Cup of Nations winner stays fit throughout the campaign.
Crystal Palace have also shown a great deal of interest in signing the Watford winger. It is claimed that Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira greatly admires the Senegalese international, whose contract at Vicarage Road runs through 2024. But it is hard to imagine Watford standing in the way should they receive a tempting offer of around the £30 million.
