---
title: "Aston Villa interested in £35m Pape Sarr after Tottenham exit request"
canonical: "https://readastonvilla.com/2026/08/23/aston-villa-interested-in-35m-pape-sarr-after-tottenham-exit-request/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "James Chettle"
section: "Aston Villa Transfer News"
published: "2026-08-23T20:35:00Z"
modified: "2026-09-22T11:01:02Z"
---

# Aston Villa interested in £35m Pape Sarr after Tottenham exit request

**Aston Villa remain interested in Tottenham midfielder Pape Matar Sarr after the Senegal international asked to leave Spurs. Tottenham are understood to value the 23-year-old at around £35million as Unai Emery continues reshaping his midfield before the transfer deadline.**

Villa’s interest in Sarr is not new.

Read Aston Villa [reported in July that the club were considering the Tottenham midfielder](https://readastonvilla.com/2026/07/30/spurs-midfielder-wanted-by-aston-villa-to-replace-onana/), but there was no indication at the time that Spurs were ready to sell.

That situation has now changed significantly.

> ⚪️ 🇸🇳 Tottenham Hotspur have informed Pape Matar Sarr that he is on the transfer market.\
> \
> 🔚 An invitation to leave the club that did not go down well with the Senegalese midfielder, which is why he deleted all his posts related to the club from social media.\
> \
> 🔴🟡 Talks with… [pic.twitter.com/rgF1zcYyse](https://t.co/rgF1zcYyse)
>
> — Sacha Tavolieri (@sachatavolieri) [August 22, 2026](https://x.com/sachatavolieri/status/2091072212727959718?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

## Pape Sarr asks to leave Tottenham

[The Times](https://www.thetimes.com/sport/football/article/manchester-city-ayyoub-bouaddi-premier-league-transfer-news-kv7gqj53m) reports that Sarr has requested a transfer after falling down the midfield hierarchy at Tottenham.

Spurs have strengthened that area with several additions and are now seeking around **£35m** for a permanent deal.

Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest are among the Premier League clubs showing interest, while Galatasaray are also monitoring Sarr’s situation.

For Villa, the timing is notable.

Emery already has limited midfield availability because Amadou Onana remains sidelined, while João Gomes is now set to serve a suspension after being sent off during Sunday’s 4-0 defeat at Brighton.

Villa have also reached a full agreement to sign Leon Goretzka, but the German’s arrival does not necessarily remove the need for another midfield option given the scale of the summer rebuild.

## Aston Villa interest now has clearer route

Sarr’s transfer request gives Villa a far clearer route towards a deal than when their interest first emerged.

Tottenham were previously under little pressure to consider a departure for a player with extensive Premier League experience.

The question now becomes whether Villa are prepared to meet Spurs’ valuation.

Sarr would add another athletic midfield option for Emery and is already familiar with the demands of English football.

Villa’s difficult opening-day defeat also demonstrated how quickly injuries, suspensions and ongoing transfer uncertainty can expose the depth of a heavily changed squad.

No formal Villa bid has been reported at this stage.

However, Sarr’s request to leave means a player Villa were already tracking has suddenly become considerably more obtainable during the final days of the window.