Sarr pushing hard but Palace are digging in

The headline act on deadline day that may never actually happen. Ismaila Sarr reportedly wants this move so badly he has been refusing to train at Crystal Palace, yet the Eagles are equally firm in their intention to keep him. Palace are holding out for around £70m; Liverpool have reportedly gone to £50m. That is a significant gap, and with Cody Gakpo now confirmed as a Red after the club knocked back Manchester City's £80m bid on Bank Holiday Monday, the urgency around Sarr has quietly diminished. It does not mean it is dead, deadline days have a habit of producing the unlikely, but as things stand, this one looks like it will fall short.

The 28-year-old Senegal international would have been a genuine statement signing, and there are obvious questions about long-term cover for Mohamed Salah. But Andoni Iraola now has Bradley Barcola in his squad, Gakpo is going nowhere, and Liverpool are not the sort of club to be bounced into overpaying simply because a player fancies the move. If Sarr does not get his wish today, that is a story that could very easily resurface in January.

Minteh still breathing, Brughmans dependent on Mamardashvili

Yankuba Minteh looked like a near-certainty for a spell, with Liverpool having two bids rejected by Brighton. The 22-year-old winger's pursuit was put on the back burner once attention shifted to landing Barcola from PSG, but the door has not been fully closed. Should Brighton soften their reported £80m valuation before tonight's deadline, Liverpool could move quickly to revive talks. It would be a smart piece of business if the price is right, Minteh is young, quick and fits the profile, but Liverpool will not be held to ransom on the fee.

The goalkeeping situation is an interesting one. Liverpool agreed a £30m deal with Genk for 18-year-old shot-stopper Lucca Brughmans on Monday, with the Belgian youngster expected to remain at his club on loan for the season. That plan, however, hinges on Giorgi Mamardashvili staying put. The Georgian keeper has reportedly attracted interest from Nottingham Forest, and if that move materialises today, Liverpool will move to bring Brughmans to Anfield immediately as backup for Alisson Becker. Watch this space.

The academy picture: loans, departures and tough calls

There is a fair amount happening at the younger end of the squad too. Jayden Danns, the 20-year-old striker who suffered a serious hamstring injury last September and then had a setback on his return in March, is being considered for a loan move. He came off the bench during Liverpool under-21s' Premier League 2 opener last month, and U21s coach Rob Page was measured but positive: "There are conversations we can have now that he has played some minutes. Now he looks in good condition, the next step for us now is to have those conversations and have a sit down together as a collective, to do the right thing for Jayden, whatever that may be."

Keyrol Figueroa, the 20-year-old Honduran forward who has been at the club since the age of 14, is set to join League Two side Port Vale, a permanent step into senior football for a player who scored 11 goals in 14 Premier League 2 appearances last season. Left-back Luke Chambers, who has already experienced loan spells at Kilmarnock, Wigan and Charlton Athletic, could head out again after catching the eye on Liverpool's pre-season tour of the United States. And James McConnell, the 21-year-old midfielder who had a difficult loan stint at Ajax, faces a decision between another temporary move for development or staying to bolster a midfield that could do with the depth. Lewis Koumas, meanwhile, may yet stay, Iraola values his versatility across the front three, and that is not nothing.

It is shaping up to be a busy final few hours on Merseyside. The Sarr and Minteh sagas will go to the wire, and the fate of Mamardashvili could trigger a chain of events that nobody had quite planned for. When the clock hits 11pm tonight, Liverpool's summer will finally have its full shape.