Ismaïla Sarr

Executive Summary

Ismaïla Sarr is a Senegalese right winger born on 25 February 1998. He plays for Crystal Palace and is used as a winger or forward for club and country. The sporting moment is a peak spell in south London under Oliver Glasner. Palace won the FA Cup in 2025 in his first season, and he was top goalscorer and named best player as the club won the UEFA Conference League in 2026.

Playing Style and Key Attributes

Sarr is a right-footed attacker listed at 185 cm with an eye for the spectacular, having won Goal of the Season awards in the Football League and the Europa League. At Palace he has been an ever-present wide option, playing all 38 Premier League games in his first season and adding nine cup appearances. The output in 2024/25 was 11 goals across all competitions with eight assists, including a strike against Brighton and a brace against Aston Villa in the FA Cup semi-final. The 2025/26 campaign was a step up, with 21 goals in all competitions and two assists, equalling Palace’s Premier League-era single-season scoring record.

The Analyst notes he flourishes in a stable environment after seasons in chaotic setups at Watford and Marseille. SpursHub data for 2025/26 places him in the top 12% of attacking midfielders for npxG, while averaging 17.66 pressures per 90, ranking in the 24th percentile among 34 Premier League attacking midfielders. Defensive contributions remain modest.

Career and Recent Context

Sarr came through Génération Foot and signed his first professional contract with Metz in July 2016, making his Ligue 1 debut that August. He moved to Stade Rennais FC in July 2017 for a fee of €17m, spending two seasons and winning the Coupe de France in 2019, scoring the winning penalty in the final. In August 2019 he joined Watford FC for €30m, where he was named Player of the Season in 2021 and recorded 34 goals and 22 assists in 131 games.

He returned to France with Olympique Marseille in July 2023 for €13m, helping the club reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League. In January 2024 he joined Crystal Palace for €15m on a five-year deal. The move coincided with a more consistent run under Glasner; he had already played 2,085 minutes of top-flight football for Palace under the Austrian manager within the first months, the second-most of his career under a single coach. Internationally he is a mainstay of Senegal with 64 caps and 13 goals, and a winner of the Africa Cup of Nations in 2021.

Transfers and Outlook

Sarr is contracted to Crystal Palace until 30 June 2029. No release clause or current transfer rumours are documented in the available sources.