Liverpool Transfer Latest: Yankuba Minteh Interest Makes Sense as Injuries Expose Right-Side Need
Liverpool’s unbeaten start under Andoni Iraola has provided encouragement, even if a few draws have slightly slowed the early momentum. The broad picture remains positive heading into October, yet the squad balance is already coming under scrutiny and fresh transfer discussion has followed quickly.
According to Give Me Sport, Liverpool retain a strong interest in Brighton winger Yankuba Minteh, a player who appears to fit a very specific need within this squad. The report lands at a time when injuries and depth concerns are sharpening focus on the right side of the attack, an area that still looks short despite a busy summer at Anfield.
Liverpool injuries sharpen transfer focus
There has already been significant investment. Bradley Barcola arrived from Paris Saint-Germain, Jeremy Jacquet has made an encouraging impression in defence, and Victor Munoz added another attacking option. Yet even with that business completed, there is a feeling that Liverpool are still light in a few key positions.
The issue is less about numbers and more about profile. Several of Liverpool’s wide options are most comfortable starting from the left, while the right flank lacks a true specialist. That matters even more now because the attacking unit has been weakened by fitness setbacks. Cody Gakpo is set to be out for “several weeks” after suffering an injury on international duty with the Netherlands, while Alexander Isak has also returned with a problem after representing Sweden.
There is another significant factor too. Hugo Ekitike is not expected back until 2027 after rupturing his Achilles against PSG last season, leaving Iraola to lean more heavily on younger options such as Rio Ngumoha and Lewis Koumas in the coming weeks. Internally, Liverpool may back those talents, but the short-term strain only reinforces the longer-term recruitment plan.
The report states that Julian Ward’s transfer priorities for 2027 include right-back, central midfield and right-winger. Of those, the right-wing position feels especially urgent because Liverpool are still searching for a proper solution following Mohamed Salah’s departure.
Yankuba Minteh remains firmly on Liverpool radar
This is where Minteh re-enters the frame. The Brighton forward was linked heavily with Liverpool late in the summer window and that interest has not disappeared. Gambian journalist Baboucarr Fallaboweh suggested the player’s preference remains clear, saying: “I think Liverpool. He will still want to go to Liverpool. Depending on [how] Liverpool will activate that desire to still have him.”
Fallaboweh added: “Because right now, his situation has not been helped because he is injured. If not, then you could have more justification for him to showcase his performance and why Liverpool were after him.”
That quote is revealing. Liverpool’s admiration appears genuine, while Minteh’s camp seemingly viewed Anfield as a realistic destination. There was also a sense that the move came close. The report notes that Ben Jacobs claimed Minteh and his representatives were hopeful of completing a switch on September 1, even after Liverpool chose to keep Gakpo amid interest from Manchester City in a deal said to be worth £85m.
The major obstacle was price. Brighton, as so often happens, held firm in negotiations and were said to want £80m for the 22-year-old. That valuation effectively ended the chances of a late agreement, but it does not rule out Liverpool returning in a future window.
Brighton valuation shows challenge facing Liverpool
Anyone dealing with Brighton knows the task. They are among the strongest operators in the Premier League market, patient, disciplined and entirely comfortable waiting for their number to be met. Liverpool know that first hand, even if their £35m capture of Alexis Mac Allister in 2023 now looks like outstanding business.
There is an interesting line of thinking in the report, that Minteh could become Liverpool’s next Mac Allister in the sense of arriving from Brighton and proving transformative value over time. It is a bold comparison because the players are very different, but the recruitment logic is easy to understand. Minteh offers pace, direct running and natural width from the right, all qualities this Liverpool side could use more consistently.
If Liverpool are looking for a forward who can stretch the pitch, attack defenders one-versus-one and complement players like Isak and Barcola, the fit is obvious. The article goes further, suggesting he has the potential to mirror some of what Sadio Mane once brought to the side, particularly if his end product continues to improve.
Our View
From a Liverpool supporter perspective, this report feels believable and sensible. The right wing has looked like an issue for a while and recent injuries only make it more obvious. Barcola is a very exciting signing and Isak brings top-class quality through the middle, but squad building is about balance, not just collecting talented forwards. Liverpool need someone who naturally starts on the right, stretches the play and gives Iraola a different attacking shape.
Minteh looks like that kind of player. There is pace, aggression and unpredictability in his game, and those traits can change matches. The £80m fee mentioned by Give Me Sport feels very steep today, particularly for a player still refining the defensive side of his game, but that is also the Brighton model. They know exactly what they have and they do not blink.
If Liverpool can revisit this at a lower number, or structure a deal smartly, it could be one to watch closely. Supporters will probably accept waiting for the right signing, but they will also want the club to move decisively in a position that has lacked a specialist option. If Minteh truly wants the move, and Liverpool still see him as the answer, this story may have some distance left in it.
