Crystal Palace have announced the signing of Senegalese attacker Ismaila Sarr from Ligue 1 outfit Olympique Marseille.
The Eagles confirmed the signing of the Senegal international via a club statement on Friday, August 2, 2024.
“Crystal Palace are delighted to announce the arrival of Ismaïla Sarr as the club’s new signing,” the club statement reads.
Crystal Palace chairman, Steve Parish revealed the club have been strong admirers of Sarr and are happy to add him to the squad ahead of the new campaign. He also said Sarr will be a good addition to the team with his proven abilities and experience in English, European, and international football.
“We have been admirers of Ismaïla for some time now and are delighted to be able to welcome him to the club.
“He is a player who has proven his ability both in English football and on the European and international stage, and I am confident he will be a valuable addition to Oliver’s squad,” Parish said.
Crystal Palace manager Olivier Glasner said he is happy Sarr accepted to join the club, who will benefit from his wealth of experience in English football.
“We’re happy that Ismaïla has decided to join Crystal Palace because he knows the Premier League when he played at Watford, he knows living in England, and he also had many games with Marseille last season,” he said.
Sarr is joining Crystal Palace on a five-year contract till 2029. The 26-year-old will be expected to step into the shoes of Michael Olise who left the club to Bayern Munich this summer. Crystal Palace reportedly secured the services of the player in a deal worth £12.7m.
Ismaila is known for his prolific goal-scoring abilities and playmaking roles. He has scored in all the club’s he has played for and will hope to continue on his elite-level performance as he takes up a new challenge with Crystal Palace.
His move to the Olivier Glasner-led side marks his second spell in the Premier League after playing for Watford from 2019 to 2023.
Ismaila Sarr
Ismaila Sarr began his career in 2009 as an 11-year-old in the famous Generation Foot Football Academy in Senegal. He played for seven years in the soccer Academy before being scouted to Europe by Metz in 2016.
At Metz, Sarr was assigned straight to the club’s first team. He played for only one season, made 31 league appearances, and scored 5 goals before joining Rennes in 2017.
At Rennes, Sarr made 59 Ligue 1 appearances, scoring 13 goals in two years with the club. He moved to the Premier League in 2019, joining Watford on a club-record fee of €30m, signing a five-year contract.
He would score 33 league goals for the club in 128 league appearances before returning to French Ligue 1 with a move to Màrseille in 2023. He has only played for one season for Marseille, scoring thrice in 23 league appearances before the recent return to the Premier League.
Ismaila Sarr International career
On international scene, Sarr has been an integral part of the Senegal senior national team since his debut in 2016. He initially played for the team’s U-23s, making three appearances before his call-up to the Teranga Lions. He has been capped 64 times, scored 13 times, and was part of the squad that won the 2021 AFCON.
Ismaila Sarr Crystal Palace contract
Ismaila Sarr has signed a five-year contract with Crystal Palace till 2029. His salary offer with the club has yet to be disclosed as of the time of filing this report. Meanwhile, there are suggestions it could be significantly higher than the £64,000 he earned weekly at Marseille.
