Liverpool's Pursuit of Yankuba Minteh: A Race Against Time

Liverpool’s search for a right-sided forward is descending into a race against the clock – and Yankuba Minteh now sits at the heart of the scramble.

With roughly a week left in the window, Liverpool still have glaring holes in their squad. Curtis Jones has departed, opening up a midfield slot, and Mohamed Salah’s role on the right flank remains unfilled. The wider issue is just as stark: the attack from wide areas has not been properly fixed.

Minteh, though, has clearly emerged as a leading candidate to take that Salah berth.

Liverpool have already tested Brighton’s resolve twice for the winger. Both bids have been turned away, with the second offer reaching £60m, according to the Athletic. Brighton have stood firm, and any successful move now looks likely to push Liverpool into uncomfortable territory on price, edging towards what would feel like an overpay.

The talks, however, are not dead. Minteh’s agent, Bakary Bojang, posted an image on his Instagram story showing himself preparing to board a plane, a strong hint that face-to-face discussions are on the horizon. With the window closing fast, that kind of movement usually signals late, serious negotiations.

Liverpool do not have the luxury of dragging this out. If Minteh is their man, they need to act with conviction. If he is not, they need to pivot again – and quickly.

That, though, is part of the problem. This pursuit has already been anything but smooth. Liverpool initially wanted Yan Diomande for the right side, then switched focus to Ibrahim Mbaye a couple of weeks ago. Now the spotlight has swung to Minteh, a player whose form has fluctuated and who is currently sidelined for three months.

It is a complicated bet. Committing big money to a winger who cannot play until deep into the season would underline just how thin the market looks for Liverpool right now. Yet inside the club, the calculation may be simple: if Minteh is the best of a poor crop, you either pay up or you accept going without.

These final days of the window will reveal how far Liverpool are willing to go. Minteh could walk through the door as the new right-sided spearhead, Mbaye’s name may re-emerge, or the club might decide the value just is not there and roll the dice with what they have.

For a team trying to launch a new era, the question hangs over Anfield: do they double down on Minteh, or risk stepping into the season still searching for Salah’s heir?