Liverpool Opinion: Reds should beat Arsenal to sign Ismaila Sarr this summer
According to latest reports from the Irish Mirror, Liverpool are plotting a summer raid on Rennes for Senegalese star Ismaila Sarr, who has been on the books of Arsenal for quite a long time.
The Irish Mirror understands that Sarr was a top target for Arsenal manager Unai Emery back in the January transfer window but the Spaniard was forced to postpone any further negotiations due to the club’s financial restrictions.
The Gunners are expected to be back in the market this summer and continue their pursuit of the talented youngster but they seemingly have a tougher job on their hands this time around, with Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp expressing his desire to secure the services of the 21-year-old winger. (h/t Irish Mirror)
Sarr, who was also linked with a move to Chelsea back in January, is set to be a man in demand this summer following his scintillating run of form for Rennes this season.
The 21-year-old versatile winger has put his name right up there amongst the top emerging players in Europe, accumulating 11 goals and 10 assists from 46 appearances for the French outfit in all competitions.
Known for his quick feet, lightning pace, wonderful dribbling skills and an incredible eye for goal, Sarr is a versatile attacker, who can play on either side of the attack, though his right-footed nature makes him a better fit for a role out wide on the left.
The 21-cap Senegalese star has the ability to leave opposition defences for dead with his pace, power and directness- cutting inside from the flanks and firing accurate pile drivers on goal.
However, he is not a one-trick pony by any means. Sarr is also a very good passer of the ball and knows exactly how to create chances by linking up with his teammates in and around the penalty area. His pace and trickery might be his most prized attributes but he is more than capable of creating space for himself and getting inside the box to score goals.
In other words, he is not just an efficient assist-provider but he has also shown that he has all the qualities to develop into a natural goalscorer.
Having done a lot of work on the rough edges of his game, Sarr has added a lot of elegance and tactical understanding to his style of play, which has helped him come up with top-drawer performances against high-quality opposition.
To put things into perspective, Liverpool would do themselves a world of good by beating off competition from Arsenal in their pursuit of the highly-rated Ligue 1 star this summer.
Jurgen Klopp’s side have done ever so well to push Man City to their ultimate limits in the Premier League title race, though the Reds can only dream of a miracle on the final day of the season to stop the Citizens from retaining their crown.
It looks as if Liverpool are going to fall short of City in the title race this season by the finest of margins. However, that should not dampen their spirits, as they have done incredibly well this season on all fronts, including a run to the semi-finals of the Champions League.
The Reds already have plenty of firepower in their attack, with the likes of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mo Salah going all guns blazing in front of goal. That, however, should not stop Klopp from making a move to sign the Senegalese international.
Sarr’s ability to play on either flank should provide Liverpool with a useful back-up option and they can also use him as an impact player off the bench, as the 21-year-old has the ability to tilt the balance of the game with his pace and power in a matter of minutes.
Also, the Reds can look at him as a long-term investment given that he is still only 21. Sarr’s arrival might endanger Xherdan Shaqiri’s future at Anfield but there is hardly anyone better than Klopp when it comes to man management.
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Sadio Mane’s presence at Anfield might give Liverpool the upper hand in this deal, with Sarr describing his senior international teammate as his role model (h/t Irish Mirror). To sum it up, Liverpool should go all out to strike a deal for the 21-year-old this summer.