Liverpool's Pursuit of Yankuba Minteh: A Defining Decision
Liverpool are edging towards the end of the window with one huge call still hanging over them: how far are they really prepared to go for Yankuba Minteh?
The Brighton winger has become the focal point of their search for a long-term Mohamed Salah successor, yet Liverpool are staring at a price that would test even their resolve. Two bids have already been turned away – £50million and then £60m – with Brighton signalling they expect a fee north of £70m for the 19-year-old Gambian, who has 17 Premier League goal contributions to his name.
For a player being lined up to step into the void left by arguably the greatest forward in the club’s history, the stakes are obvious. The fee, though, is eye-watering.
Minteh talks intensify as Liverpool weigh up next move
According to Ben Jacobs, “fresh talks” are underway between Liverpool and Brighton as the Anfield hierarchy debate whether to go back in with an improved offer. The admiration for Minteh is clear, the question now is value.
Liverpool have already moved once in the wide areas this summer, bringing in Victor Munoz. The new signing made an instant impression, winning a penalty on his debut in the 2-2 draw with Newcastle. Yet that early impact has not slowed the club’s hunt for another winger, with Munoz viewed as part of a broader reshaping of the forward line rather than the definitive Salah heir.
Minteh sits at the top of that list, but he is not the only wide forward they have pursued.
Mbaye deal stalls as Liverpool walk away from PSG demands
Paris Saint-Germain’s Ibrahim Mbaye has been another prominent name on Liverpool’s radar. Talks took place, the interest was genuine, but the numbers quickly became a problem.
Fabrizio Romano outlined the situation on YouTube, stating that while Mbaye is “appreciated” and discussions were held, Liverpool have stepped back after deeming PSG’s valuation too high. The French champions are understood to be asking from €70m (£60m) upwards for the forward, a figure that has cooled not only Liverpool’s interest but that of other potential suitors as well.
So one winger is currently out of financial reach, another would require Liverpool to push beyond £70m. The market for Salah’s replacement is proving as brutal as expected.
Three elite midfielders assessed – and passed over
All of this is playing out against the backdrop of another significant decision: Liverpool have chosen not to directly replace Curtis Jones in midfield after his move to Inter Milan.
Andoni Iraola, who came into the summer concerned about depth in the middle of the park, initially pushed for reinforcements. TEAMtalk insider Graeme Bailey revealed that before pre-season, Iraola “was worried about the depth – one reason he wanted Jones to stay” and requested that work be done on alternative options.
Liverpool did their homework. They checked on the situations of Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes. All three are established, high-calibre midfielders. None of them, though, were deemed the right fit or the right deal at this stage.
Attention then turned to a younger bracket. Adam Wharton, Alex Scott and Lamine Camara were all closely assessed. The feedback was positive, the talent obvious, but the price tags again daunting. Bailey outlined that each of those deals would likely have cost “£50, £60 or even more than £70million”.
When the numbers start to resemble elite forward money, Liverpool’s recruitment team tend to pause. This summer has been no different.
Nyoni changes the plan
What changed the mood was not a big-money signing, but a teenager already inside the building.
Trey Nyoni has forced his way into Iraola’s thinking so decisively that Liverpool now believe they can ride into the season without another senior midfield arrival. Bailey says Nyoni has “blown Iraola away” in pre-season, with the manager and staff convinced he is “first-team ready” and capable of competing directly with Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister.
That quartet, with Wataru Endo still in the squad as an experienced option, is now viewed as a complete midfield unit rather than a stopgap. Instead of spending £50m–£70m on another central player, Liverpool are backing Nyoni’s emergence and redirecting their energy – and budget – towards the wide areas.
It leaves Liverpool at a crossroads. They have walked away from one expensive winger, cooled on blockbuster midfield deals, and placed a huge amount of trust in a gifted youngster.
Now comes the defining question of their window: do they push past £70m for Minteh and lock in their next era on the right, or hold their nerve and risk entering the season still searching for Salah’s true heir?
