Pape Matar Sarr, the fall on all fronts

Arriving at Tottenham in the summer of 2022 for over 20 million euros, Pape Matar Sarr quickly earned his place in the London starting eleven. His progress was rewarded with a Europa League triumph in 2025, the culmination of a full season in which he delivered strong performances. But since then, his trajectory has suddenly reversed.

Last season will be remembered as the season of great erasure. Mired in a disastrous campaign for the Spurs, tossed about by multiple coaching changes and only saved from relegation on the final day of the Premier League, Sarr vanished from the radar. A good start to the campaign wasn’t enough to hide a steady decline as the months passed.

De Zerbi’s arrival, a turning point

The arrival of Roberto De Zerbi on the Spurs bench only made things gloomier. The Italian coach has not yet officially ruled on the fate of the Senegalese player, but everything suggests that he no longer figures in his plans for building the team. The clearest proof lies in the huge investments made in central midfield this summer.

Tottenham spent 100 million pounds on Sandro Tonali from Newcastle and 85 million pounds on Mateus Fernandes recruited from West Ham, bringing the bill for these two reinforcements alone to over 185 million pounds. A clear signal of the club’s intentions, ready to completely rebuild their midfield around these two major arrivals.

In this context, Pape Matar Sarr’s market value is far from that of the new signings. The Senegalese midfielder is currently valued at 30 million euros by Transfermarkt, far from the standards of those arriving alongside him. Several British media outlets mention a clearly open exit door, with four clubs already having made inquiries regarding his situation this summer. Brentford and Galatasaray appear to be very interested. However, De Zerbi would reportedly remain open to a sale under two conditions: an acceptable valuation and the prior arrival of a replacement. Sarr himself is said not to be opposed to leaving if the right sporting project is presented.

Demoted in the hierarchy of the Lions

His time with the national team did not allow Sarr to reassure. Called up for the 2025 AFCON, he did not enjoy any trust from Pape Thiaw, having to settle for just one appearance, in the third matchday against Benin, a meaningless match where the coach heavily rotated his squad. This left him at the bottom of the hierarchy of Senegalese midfielders.

The situation hardly changed during the 2026 World Cup. In the four matches played by the Lions, he totaled only 65 minutes of play, across two substitute appearances. The most notable will remain his disappointing entry against Belgium in the round of 16, synonymous with Senegal's elimination. On top of these sporting difficulties comes a physical problem. The midfielder has been suffering from a shoulder issue for several months, a problem serious enough that his entourage has raised the prospect of surgery.

A setback to negotiate

Between markedly declining performances, a demotion in Senegal's midfield hierarchy, growing criticism from the Senegalese public, and a coach who has made expensive new signings his priorities, Pape Matar Sarr is undoubtedly going through the most delicate phase of his young European career. The summer promises to be decisive. It remains to be seen whether the Senegalese can convince De Zerbi to give him a chance, or whether a new departure, far from London, will become the only option to revive his career.