Crystal Palace keen to raid Watford for Senegal winger Sarr

Having relegated their rivals recently, Crystal Palace fans can feel pretty good about the end of season. Relegated Watford is always nice for a Palace fan to see, and when it came with such considerable comfort it was a derby match to remember. Now, the seething Hornets fans might be about to get stung once again by the South London club they dislike so much. Palace are pushing to land a deal for Senegal winger Ismaila Sarr.

Ask any Watford fan, and they will tell you that Sarr is perhaps the most gifted player in their entire team. The 24-year-old played a key role as his nation won their first ever African Cup of Nations. Having been a surprise coup for Watford in the first place, the fact he stuck with them through relegation was seen as a shock. This time, though, the Senegalese is expected to move on as opposed to stick around.

Reports suggest that despite attention from the likes of Liverpool, palace might have as fair a chance to land him as anyone. The exciting form and style of the winger even during a tough year for Watford meant that many Premier League clubs were keen to land a deal for the winger.

The appeal of playing in London with a team that is built on attacking play and under a French-Senegalese legend like Patrick Vieira, though, was hard to reject.

Vieira is keen to land the player, it is reported, and sees him as the ideal addition to the attacking impetus the team needs. Though by no means a prolific scorer of goals, Sarr offers dribbling, penetration, and passing that would complement the team already in place here.

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If Palace can make the deal for Sarr stick, it would be a clear signal of intent from the club about their long-term ambitions. Being able to land a player who has so much potential still to unlock is naturally very exciting. So is the idea that they could pick up a player who has already shown he can cut it at Premier League level.

Add in his excellent age and Palace could be landing a player who could either act as a long-term replacement for Wilf Zaha, or turn a massive profit in the years to come. Watford are believed to be happy to move on from the player as relegation for a second time in three years means he is not expected to stick around.

With the need to land a new attacking option, Sarr would help to add more depth to a forward line that felt somewhat light on the wing areas. Capable of playing on both sides, too, Sarr should see plenty of game time in South London.

There are many appeals to playing for Crystal Palace at the moment. For a Senegalese international keen to play top-flight football in an attacking team, though, there might not be a better option on the market.