Crystal Palace have an ‘interest’ in Watford winger Ismaila Sarr, although striking a deal could be difficult, according to The Sun journalist Tom Barclay.

The 24-year-old has been heavily linked with a move away from Vicarage Road in recent weeks after suffering his second relegation from the Premier League in three seasons.

What is the latest news involving Sarr?

A  report from the Evening Standard recently revealed that Palace have ‘expressed an interest’ in signing Sarr and that Watford are expecting a formal offer before the window closes.

However, it seemed as though Aston Villa had beaten the Eagles to the Senegal international’s signature when they had a £25 million offer accepted for him.

But the deal collapsed after problems emerged when the two sides began to discuss the details, including the possibility of Cameron Archer or Kortney Hause joining Watford on loan.

Sarr, who has two years remaining on his £71,000-per-week contract, is seemingly back on the market, therefore, but his current employers are not in a rush to sell.

Watford have already offloaded Emmanuel Dennis to Nottingham Forest while Joao Pedro is being actively pursued by Newcastle United, meaning the Championship side could lose their entire forward line.

What has Barclay said about Sarr?

Barclay has informed GiveMeSport that Sarr is a player on Palace’s radar but believes negotiations with Watford ‘might be harder’ than some people would think.

He said: “I think there's a chance of that one actually, or at least I think there's interest there, that's fair to say. But it will be a matter of trying to strike a deal, that obviously goes without saying, but that might be harder than you might think.

“Because Watford have sold Emmanuel Dennis for £20 million, maybe they sell Joao Pedro, it doesn't feel like, despite relegation, that they really need to sell players like they did before.”

How could Palace line up with Sarr?

Sarr is a versatile forward who has predominantly featured on the right-wing throughout his career but has also turned out on the opposite flank and upfront numerous times.

The 6 foot 1 ace was recently described as "a bit of a freak" by former teammate Ben Foster due to his outstanding acceleration and pace, which has caused many defences problems down the years.

In total, Sarr has registered 25 goals and 19 assists in 95 appearances for Watford, indicating he could form a devastating partnership with the likes of Wilfried Zaha, Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise at Palace.

Sarr would represent another astute acquisition for Patrick Vieira as he continues to overhaul his first-team squad in south London.