Watford’s Ismaila Sarr could become a summer transfer target for Manchester United if they manage to sign Erling Haaland, who has been valued at over £150 million by Borussia Dortmund.
In that event, Sarr would be a more affordable alternative to Haaland’s Dortmund teammate Jadon Sancho, who United tried and failed to sign last summer.
United also came close to bringing Sarr to Old Trafford following Watford’s relegation from the Premier League, according to former Hornets technical director Filippo Giraldi.
“We were extremely close [to a deal], I was personally negotiating with them,” Giraldi told the Here We Go podcast this week. “We weren’t able to reach an agreement.”
The Express report that United could well go back in for Sarr should they succeed in landing Haaland.
Senegal international Sarr joined Watford from Rennes in August 2019 for a club-record £40 million, and the Hornets are thought to have demanded the same price for the 23-year-old last summer, when Liverpool were also reportedly interested.
The highlight of Sarr's first season in England came against the Reds, when he bagged a brace in a 3-0 win at Vicarage Road which ended the champions hopes of an unbeaten league campaign.
As things stand, he looks likely to find himself back in the top flight next season with Watford. The Hornets, now managed by Xisco Munoz, are well on course to bounce straight back, sitting second in the Championship with eight games to go and having won nine of their last ten.
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