Galatasaray submit official bid for Crystal Palace star Ismaïla Sarr

Galatasaray have submitted an official bid to Crystal Palace for Ismaïla Sarr as the Turkish champions step up their search for a new winger.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Sarr is open to discussing a potential move to Galatasaray, but Crystal Palace's position will be decisive as the Eagles continue to regard the Senegal international as an important member of their squad.

Palace manager Pierre Sage would prefer to keep Sarr, meaning Galatasaray may need to produce a significant offer to convince the Premier League club to sanction his departure.

Galatasaray have now moved beyond simply showing interest and submitted a formal proposal for the 28-year-old.

Sarr is one of their targets for the winger position, and the player's willingness to hold discussions gives the Turkish side encouragement that personal terms may not prove to be the biggest obstacle.

Instead, the key negotiations are likely to be with Palace.

The Eagles consider Sarr a key player and are not actively looking to lose him, particularly with the new Premier League campaign underway.

No details have yet emerged regarding the value or structure of Galatasaray's offer.

Sarr's importance to Palace is reflected in his performances last season.

The Senegalese attacker made 28 Premier League appearances, scoring nine goals and providing one assist, establishing himself as an important attacking weapon for the Eagles.

Those numbers also help explain why Sage would prefer to keep him.

Sarr offers pace, direct running and a goal threat from wide areas, and losing him at this stage of the transfer window would leave Palace needing to find a suitable replacement quickly.

The player's openness to discussions with Galatasaray does not mean he is forcing his way out of Selhurst Park. For now, the decision remains largely in Palace's hands.

Galatasaray's official bid puts Palace in a position where they must decide exactly how valuable Sarr is to their plans.

If the proposal falls below their valuation, there is little reason for the Eagles to accept given Sage's desire to retain the winger and Sarr's importance to the first team.

A substantial offer, however, could change the equation.

Palace would then have to balance the financial value of a potential sale against the difficulty of replacing a player who delivered nine league goals last season.

For Galatasaray, convincing Sarr appears possible. Convincing Crystal Palace looks like the considerably tougher part of the operation.

Attention now turns to Crystal Palace's response to Galatasaray's proposal.

Sarr's willingness to discuss the transfer gives Galatasaray a potential route towards an agreement, but Palace are under no obvious sporting pressure to sell. Unless the Turkish champions make an offer strong enough to change their position, Sage will hope to keep one of his most productive attackers at Selhurst Park.

Should Crystal Palace reject Galatasaray's approach and keep Ismaïla Sarr, or cash in if a major offer arrives? Have your say.