Crystal Palace’s Ismaïla Sarr is absent from the matchday squad for the trip to Everton as mounting reports suggest the Senegalese international is pushing for a move to Turkey and Galatasaray. 

Suggestions that Sarr skipped training on Thursday gained momentum on Friday with numerous suggestions that his agents were pushing him to go on strike in an attempt to force what would be a lucrative transfer to the Turkish Super Lig. 

Whilst reports weren’t concrete, as team news dropped for Pierre Sage’s first Premier League game, Sarr is not listed in the Palace squad. 

Whilst many fans dismissed the speculation at source, which came from a number of Turkish reporters, those with knowledge of the ongoings at Palace also began to share the same concerns, and whilst this isn’t an *exclusive*, those rumours were also shared with us. 

It’s important to first state that agents do things like this all the time in an attempt to earn a new contract, but the news that has been coming out has gained momentum, which may have been the plan all along. 

Pierre Sage confirmed in his press conference on Thursday that Sarr would feature in this game, and therefore suggestions that he’s collected a ‘knock’ are hard to believe. 

After finishing last season as Palace’s top scorer and the winner of the Conference League golden boot too, Sarr would be well within reason to aim for a big move this summer, but going about pursuing a move in this way is simply unacceptable. 

Palace have no desperate need to sell. Sarr is contracted for a further three years and unless Galatasaray can meet Palace’s demands, likely north of £60m, he will not be sold. 

What this behaviour does is cause potential issues for Sarr going forward. If Palace chooses not to sell, then Sarr and his entourage will simply have to get on with it. 

The new manager will be far from impressed too, and that could fracture an important relationship within the side. 

It also goes without saying that Palace simply cannot afford to lose a player of Sarr’s quality and importance to the side at this point in the transfer window. 

This could go on for some time to come though, as the Turkish transfer window ends a week or so after the English one. 

Finding a replacement for Sarr if he does leave is going to be almost impossible at this time, especially finding the quality that can come in and match his output. 

We’ll bring you all the updates as they happen here on the Roundtable.