Liverpool's Ismaila Sarr transfer price 'set' as Reds chase Watford star

Watford will reportedly tell Liverpool that it will take a club record sale for the Reds to snap up Ismaila Sarr this summer.

Senegal international Sarr, 22, is attracting interest from several clubs in the wake of the Hornets' relegation from the Premier League.

Crystal Palace and Wolves are both said to be keeping tabs on the winger who moved to Vicarage Road from Rennes for £30million last summer, but it is Liverpool who are beginning to show the most determination to land Sadio Mane's international teammate.

Indeed, Mane has referred to the 26-times capped international as his "little brother" in the past, and the Reds know all too well just what Sarr can do after he scored twice to inflict their first Premier League defeat of the season upon them in February.

Sarr is said to be attracted to the idea of moving to the Premier League champions as well, and also would like to play with Mane at club level having modelled his game on him in the past.

The Evening Standard report that Watford are prepared to fight to secure the best possible deal for Sarr though, and want any deal to top the record £40million they received from Everton for Richarlison two summers ago.

Raising such a fee could be an issue for Liverpool in a summer in which they haven't been afraid to hide the fact that their finances have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Left-back Kostas Tsimikas has arrived for around £11.75million, but the Reds pulled out of a potential deal for Timo Werner earlier in the summer.

Sarr isn't likely to demand the level of wages that Werner would have been looking for though, and it would be hoped that the sale of some squad players could raise the cash needed for a player who would provide valuable cover for the front three.