Ismaila Sarr is set to leave Watford for Aston Villa. The deal is estimated to be worth more than £25 million, excluding some add-ons. Sarr was not included in the Saturday 0-0 draw against Preston in order to facilitate the transfer. Sarr will be the second Watford attacker to leave, following Emanuel Dennis’ move to Nottingham Forest.
Since joining Watford from Rennes in 2019, Sarr has scored 25 goals in 95 games. In the Premier League last year he scored five goals with two assists. He caught the eye of the football world in 2020 after his performance against Liverpool at Vicarage Road. His brace resulted in a 3-0 victory for the Hornets, which brought an end to a potential invincible campaign from the Reds.
On Sunday morning, it was reported that the recently relegated Watford accepted Villa’s offer of €25 million (£21.2 million) plus €3 million (£2.55 million) in add-ons. Now, Villa need to sort out personal terms with Sarr in order to close a deal. Steven Gerrard attempts to make him the club’s sixth acquisition of the summer. He will join an attacking lineup that boasts of Danny Ings, Ollie Watkins, Leon Bailey, Phillipe Coutinho and Emiliano Buendia.
Sarr: A Wanted Man
Villa were not alone in his pursuit. Sarr has also been the subject of interest from clubs like Crystal Palace and Leeds United. The latter saw him as a replacement for Barcelona-bound Raphina. Manchester United and Liverpool were also in for his signature.
However, a deal never materialized. Liverpool went on to sign Luis Diaz to replace Mane, while Manchester United purchased Jadon Sancho. They are currently pursuing Brazilian talent Antony.
Despite this, Sarr is a phenomenal player who can succeed at any club. He has electric pace and superb dribbling. He will hope to get a more consistent run of minutes at Villa Park this year to display his talent.
Follow us on Twitter for more football updates.
