Liverpool had a transfer window to forget over the summer, but their fortunes could have been very different had the club's hierarchy followed up their interest in Watford winger Ismaila Sarr.

What's the story?

The Reds were heavily linked with a move for the highly-rated 23-year-old as Jurgen Klopp aimed to bolster his threadbare forward line, yet no formal offer materialised.

And now, Goal's Liverpool correspondent Neil Jones has revealed that the Anfield outfit failed to pursue Sarr in the recently concluded window, despite there being substantial interest.

With Xherdan Shaqiri departing, only Takumi Minamino and Divock Origi remain as underwhelming backup options, leaving Klopp seriously short of sufficient strength in depth.

Liverpool fans will be gutted

Liverpool were first linked with the £19.8m-rated gem 12 months ago after an impressive maiden Premier League campaign with the Hornets.

Sarr botched up five goals and laid on a further six assists for his teammates in 28 appearances during the 2019/20 campaign, earning praise from the likes of Gary Neville, who labelled him “special” following a scintillating performance against West Ham United.

The Sky Sports pundit further praised the Senegal international's pace, intelligence and decision making, highlighting the youngster's potential.

“He’s a big, big talent, honestly he really is,” the former Manchester United full-back said.

On what makes Sarr so good, Neville continued: ‘I always think, particularly as a wide player, what would I have not wanted to have played against? The first thing is pace.

“And then you’ve got to think about, can he use his pace? Well, yes, he can, because he makes really good quality runs: the spin in behind, straight, but also the run inside in between full-back and centre-back – which I always think is the most difficult to mark.”

The former Rennes ace couldn't prevent Watford from suffering relegation to the Championship in 2019/20 but did play a pivotal part in their instant return to the top-flight last term.

In 40 outings for the Vicarage Road outfit, Sarr bagged 13 goals and provided 10 assists as Xisco Munoz's charges earned an automatic promotion spot, showcasing his top-class potential.

Therefore, a large section of Liverpool fans will surely be gutted that director of football Michael Edwards didn't make a concerted effort to bring the Senegalese to Anfield, providing Klopp with the squad he needs to challenge on multiple fronts this season.

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