Minteh's Liverpool Transfer Hopes Fade as Deadline Approaches

Yankuba Minteh’s representatives are still pushing for a dramatic deadline-day move to Liverpool, but the deal now sits firmly in the “unlikely” column as the window ticks towards 11pm.

Liverpool have tracked the 22-year-old Brighton winger throughout August. Two bids have already gone in from Merseyside, the second around £60m, but Brighton have stood their ground and pointed to an £80m valuation for the Gambia international.

That figure is no coincidence. It’s the same number Liverpool have just turned down for one of their own.

Gakpo decision shapes the market

Over the past 24 hours, Liverpool rejected an £80m offer from Manchester City for Cody Gakpo, according to The Athletic. Matching that fee for Minteh would have effectively turned the two transfers into a straight swap in financial terms.

Liverpool have chosen their side. Gakpo stays.

The Dutch forward has started the season sharply, with a goal and an assist in his first two games. Minteh, by contrast, is sidelined with injury and expected to be out for a significant spell. On a purely footballing level, offloading an in-form, fit attacker to fund a move for an injured one never stacked up.

Ben Jacobs told talkSPORT, via GIVEMESPORT, that Minteh’s camp “are still seeking a move to Liverpool, and they hope that it happens today,” but even he conceded the move is unlikely, largely because Gakpo is not going anywhere.

Liverpool’s wing puzzle

Liverpool have spent the window scanning the market for a right-sided option, with Ismaila Sarr of Crystal Palace also explored as a potential target. Bradley Barcola has already completed his move from Paris Saint-Germain, removing one name from the board. Now, with Gakpo locked in at Anfield, the need for another winger has eased.

If Minteh somehow did arrive before the deadline, and Liverpool kept their current forward line intact, Andoni Iraola would be looking at six senior wingers fighting for two wide roles. That sort of depth can win you trophies over a long season. It can also create a queue of unhappy players knocking on the manager’s door.

Right now, Liverpool’s stance suggests they are not willing to invite that problem.

Hope versus reality

Minteh’s representatives are expected to keep pushing in these final hours, clinging to the possibility that late movement elsewhere might open a door. Deadline day has a habit of tearing up the script.

But as it stands, the key pieces are fixed: Gakpo stays, Brighton want £80m, and Liverpool are not desperate.

Unless something dramatic breaks that stalemate, Minteh’s next challenge looks set to come in Brighton colours, and not under the Anfield lights, for the rest of 2026.