Leeds United supporters have been getting a little excited at reports the Whites and Watford are close to a verbal agreement for the signing of Ismaila Sarr. According to reports in France a deal is close to completion.
Sarr has also been linked with Premier League rivals Manchester United and Newcastle United in recent weeks, with his impressive start to the season only reinforcing the belief he will leave Watford this summer.
French publication Foot Mercato claim that negotiations are also close to completion. The report adds that the arrival of the Senegalese international hinges on a departure from Elland Road. However, our understanding is that Leeds are exploring a number of options and while Sarr may have featured on a list of targets, talk of a deal being close is not the case and a deal is not currently expected.
Leeds have already snapped up Colombian winger Luis Sinisterra from Feyenoord this summer. Reports last week claimed that Sarr was on a three-man shortlist to replace Raphinha, which also included PSV’s Cody Gakpo and Rennes’ Martin Terrier.
Sarr has been linked with a move away from Vicarage Road for the last two seasons. He has started the Championship season strongly, scoring an incredible lob from inside his own half in Watford’s 1-1 draw against West Brom on Monday.
The 24-year-old joined Watford from Rennes on a five-year contract for a fee in the region of £30m in August 2019. Sarr scored twice in a famous 3-0 win over Liverpool in February 2020 but marked his debut season with five league goals as the Hornets were relegated to the Championship.
He finished as Watford’s leading scorer with 13 goals as they secured an immediate return to the Premier League in 2020/21 but suffered his second relegation with the club last term.
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