Liverpool agreed Ismaila Sarr January deal, claims agent

Emmet Gates

• Updated: 23 May 2023 08:44 CDT
• 2 min read

Liverpool had agreed a deal in January to sign Watford forward Ismaila Sarr, according to the player’s agent.

The Reds have been linked with Sarr for a number of months, and were reportedly interested in signing the player during the summer transfer window, only for Liverpool to sign Diogo Jota from Wolves instead.

Due to Liverpool’s burgeoning injury crisis in central defence, the club focused on signing defenders in the January transfer window.

Ozan Kabak and Ben Davies were signed from Schalke and Preston respectively towards the end of the January window, but Sarr’s agent states that a deal for his client was also in the works, yet failed to materialise.

“With Liverpool, a few days ago, we were at the stage of signing the contract to bind the Reds to Ismaîla Sarr,” Thierno Seydi told PanAfricanFootball.com.

“Everything was set, the monthly salary and the length of the lease. I even asked Sadio Mane to find him an apartment.

“But in the end, the English club could not put €40 million on the table to finalise this case.

“You have to say that if English clubs that once animated the transfer window are struggling to put funds together, that shows the depth of the crisis affecting football.”

Sarr is enjoying a productive season in the Championship with the London outfit, scoring seven goals and providing eight assists in 25 league games.

Sarr was on target in the Hornets’ latest game, in the 6-0 mauling of Bristol City that sees them rise to fourth place in the English second tier.

Ismaila Sarr v Bristol City snapshot

Sarr’s contract with Watford expires in June 2024.

Sarr has been with the club since moving from Ligue 1 side Rennes in the summer of 2019.