Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage has offered a comprehensive look behind the scenes of the club’s summer transfer window during his pre-match press conference ahead of the Premier League clash with Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Addressing late squad additions, the breakdown of high-profile moves, and how he plans to manage Ismaïla Sarr following his collapsed transfer to Liverpool, Sage provided vital clarity on the state of his squad.
Reflecting on the frantic conclusion to the market, Sage acknowledged the challenges of conducting business right up to the deadline.
Sage said:
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Especially at the end, because we (were) awaiting some players and they came late. But, we are happy with (them). So, four players who signed at the end more than pleases us. We missed one, but that is how it is.”
When asked why these deals happened so late, the Crystal Palace boss added:
“I don’t really know. It’s about the negotiation, about the opportunities, but we knew what we wanted to do. We didn’t know the schedules of these things, and that’s why maybe it was difficult for the first game to have all the players in time, but at the end they are here and it’s good news for us. Yeah, yeah (I am satisfied). We have enough. We did what we decided to do, and that’s really a success.”
The Fofana Saga and Respecting Player Choice
The window also brought intense drama surrounding other targets, most notably the pursuit of Malick Fofana a player Sage previously handed a Ligue 1 debut to during his time at Lyon. Sunderland ultimately won the race for his signature.
Discussing that particular pursuit, Sage said:
“Depends on the minutes of the day! It changes a lot, but it’s like this. I’m really proud and happy with what the club did for that. We fight a lot and sometimes you cannot give more than this, but we give our best in this situation. At the end, the player choose. And I wish him and to them (Sunderland) the best because it’s a good guy, a good player.”
When asked if he felt disappointed not reunite with the Belgian, he added:
“You have to respect his (choice of) club. I have to respect his decision. That is the most important thing for me to be respectful with this kind of thing.”
When pressed on whether Fofana offered an explanation, Sage noted:
“No (he did not explain his decision to me). He just give me his answer late in the evening. It’s not important to know, at the end.”
Managing the Ismaïla Sarr Situation
Attention has inevitably focused on Ismaïla Sarr after a proposed move to Liverpool fell through. The Senegal international subsequently scrubbed all mentions of Crystal Palace from his Instagram page, highlighting his desire to leave South London.
Addressing how the club is handling the fallout ahead of the trip to Craven Cottage, Sage explained:
“Like every bad situation, time does the job and we need time for that. You need time too, first of all, recover because like I told you, he was and he is (still) injured. (He is) our player and we are happy with it.”
When asked how Sarr himself is feeling, Sage added:
“You have to digest for sure, because, you know, it’s a dream for a lot of players to play with this kind of club and you have a good opportunity, but, at the end, it doesn’t work. (He needs to) continue (what he has done) to give a good season, to perform with results and to score a lot of goals as he did last year.”
Sage dismissed any speculation that a move could be revived when the market reopens, stating:
“I don’t think, I don’t think because now all the clubs are in their season. We have a decision to take about the European list, and, it’s difficult to move the team when you are in these competitions.”
The situation took a contentious turn when Sarr’s agent, Diomansy Kamara, publicly accused Crystal Palace of treating the forward like a mere “commodity” during the window.
Rebutting those claims directly, Sage responded:
“Yeah, I don’t really agree with this position. I just want to say that the club and the people here are respectful. We respect a lot of things, and we just want the best for our club and our players.”