Crystal Palace head coach Pierre Sage says winger Ismaila Sarr will require time to come to terms with the breakdown of a proposed transfer to Liverpool, which fell through in the closing stages of the summer transfer window.
Sarr, who finished as Palace's leading scorer last season, had appeared close to sealing a switch to Anfield, but the deal unraveled before it could be completed, leaving the 28-year-old Senegal international at Selhurst Park for the foreseeable future.
Sage acknowledged the emotional toll such a near-miss can take on a player. "He has to digest for sure because it's a dream for a lot of players to play with this kind of club (Liverpool)," the Frenchman said. "He had a good opportunity but in the end it didn't work. If he wants to continue, you have to have a good season with us as he did last year. We know he needs time."
The Palace boss added that patience would be key in helping Sarr refocus on his club duties. "Like every bad situation, time does the job and we need time for that," he said.
Liverpool's interest in Sarr was part of a broader effort to bolster their attacking options late in the window, with the Premier League champions also making enquiries about Brighton winger Yankuba Minteh. Ultimately, Liverpool could not reach agreement on a fee for either player. That failure to strengthen up front contributed to their decision to turn down an £80 million offer from Manchester City for forward Cody Gakpo, since no replacement had been secured for the Dutchman.
Sarr has not yet featured for Palace this season, missing the campaign's opening two Premier League fixtures - a loss at Everton and a heavy 4-1 home defeat to Manchester City - due to a groin problem. He will remain unavailable for Saturday's away trip to Fulham, with both Palace and their opponents still searching for their first points of the new season.
Amid the uncertainty surrounding Sarr's situation, Palace had also been pursuing a deal for Lyon winger Malick Fofana as a potential alternative. The Eagles seemed to have moved ahead of competition from Sunderland for the 21-year-old Belgian's signature, but Fofana ultimately elected to join the north-east club instead, in a deadline-day switch reported to be worth £30 million.
Reflecting on the failed pursuit, Sage said Palace had done all they could to convince the player. "We gave our best," he said. "At the end of the day the player chose his criteria and I wish him and them the best because he's a good guy and a good player."
Attention now turns to Saturday's clash at Craven Cottage, where Palace will look to bounce back from their difficult start to the season without Sarr available. Fulham find themselves in a similarly precarious position, having lost their opening two matches - a home defeat to Chelsea and an away loss at Sunderland - and will also be desperate to open their points tally for the campaign.
For Palace, the coming weeks will be about managing Sarr's return from injury and helping him refocus on domestic football after the disappointment of missing out on a move to one of Europe's biggest clubs, while also integrating any new additions brought in during a turbulent transfer window.
Based on reporting from The Independent and BBC Sport.