In a recent interview with Football Insider, Kevin Phillips had backed Watford winger Ismaila Sarr to be a good fit for Liverpool when he said, “He would be a good signing for Liverpool. I like him a lot.
“I was amazed when he first went there that he was not played straight away because he arrived for a lot of money. Nigel Pearson got the best out of him. He started to score some goals and from what I have been told from within the club he is a top player and will only get better.
“Any of those big clubs like Liverpool will be looking and if they can get him out of there on decent money he could turn out to be a great signing.”
Sarr’s Outstanding Form At Vicarage Road Last Season
The Senegalese speedster enjoyed a sensational debut season in the Premier League despite suffering relegation with the Hornets last month. He managed to end the campaign with six goals and six assists to his name after playing in 30 matches for the Hertfordshire outfit across all competitions.
Sarr discovered some consistency with his performances on the right side of the Watford attack as evident from his average of 1.6 shots, 0.9 key passes and 1.7 dribbles per game in the English top-flight. He has completed 81.5% of his attempted passes in league football proving that he can be pretty accurate with his ball-distribution from the right flank (stats via whoscored).
The 22-year-old had managed to score a brace in the win over Liverpool at Vicarage Road last season, so it is no surprise that the Merseyside giants have kept tabs on his progress. However, Sky Sports recently stated that the Hornets are demanding more than £40m for their talented wing wizard this summer which would make him a luxury acquisition for the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup winners.
What Will The Senegalese International Add To Jurgen Klopp’s Side?
Sarr is one of the quickest players in the Premier League which makes him such a potent threat out on the wide areas. He excels at dribbling with the ball and can make some powerful runs towards the opposition penalty area. The 22-time Senegalese international has even contributed by netting some important goals for the Hornets last season.
Recruiting a winger of Sarr’s raw power and dribbling ability will undoubtedly be a clever addition for the Reds this summer. He will be a perfect back-up for his countryman Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah at Anfield next season.
Furthermore, Sarr will help the Premier League champions challenge in the domestic cup competitions which will be a positive change considering Liverpool have not reached the latter stages of FA Cup since Klopp was appointed the club’s manager back in 2015. All in all, the Senegalese youngster will be an intelligent signing for Liverpool during this summer transfer window as he will help them challenge for multiple trophies in the coming seasons. However, his £40m+ price-tag will be a significant stumbling block for the Reds to overcome ahead of the new campaign.
