Minteh's Liverpool Hope Fades as Deadline Day Approaches
Yankuba Minteh’s representatives are still pushing for a dramatic deadline day move to Liverpool, but the deal is hanging by a thread.
Liverpool have tracked the 22-year-old Brighton winger throughout August, yet the move has hit a wall. Brighton want £80m for the Gambia international and have already turned down two bids from Merseyside, the latest worth £60m.
The price is sky‑high, and time is short.
Agents pushing, but reality bites
Journalist Ben Jacobs revealed on Tuesday morning that Minteh’s camp are still lobbying hard for a switch to Anfield before the window shuts at 11pm.
“Cody Gakpo is staying at Liverpool but, Yankuba Minteh's representatives are still seeking a move to Liverpool, and they hope that it happens today,” he told talkSPORT, as relayed by GIVEMESPORT.
That hope comes with a major caveat. With Gakpo now set to remain at Anfield, the pathway for Minteh has all but closed. The Dutch forward’s situation is central to the whole saga.
Gakpo decision changes the picture
Liverpool have knocked back an £80m bid from Manchester City for Gakpo in the past 24 hours, according to The Athletic. That figure matches the amount Brighton are demanding for Minteh.
In simple terms, one outgoing and one incoming would have cancelled each other out financially. But the sporting logic is even clearer.
Minteh is currently sidelined with an injury and expected to be out for some time. Gakpo, by contrast, has started the season sharply, with a goal and an assist from his first two games. Selling a fit, in‑form forward to fund a move for an injured winger would be a hard one to justify inside any elite dressing room, never mind one trying to chase major honours.
No room at the inn on Liverpool’s wings
Liverpool have also sounded out Crystal Palace’s Ismaila Sarr as an alternative right-sided option, yet the urgency has faded. With Gakpo staying and Bradley Barcola already through the door from Paris Saint‑Germain, the need for another winger has eased.
If Minteh somehow did arrive today and none of the current forwards left, Andoni Iraola would be staring at a logjam: six senior wingers competing for two starting spots. That kind of depth looks great on a squad list. It is far less appealing when trying to manage egos, minutes and rhythm over a long season.
The numbers simply don’t stack up.
Deadline drama unlikely to change Brighton stance
Minteh’s agents are expected to keep pushing right up until the window slams shut, clinging to the possibility that late chaos might open a door. Deadline day has a habit of throwing up wild twists, and nobody at the negotiating table will fully switch off until the clock hits 11pm.
But the direction of travel is clear. With Gakpo staying put and Liverpool unwilling to meet Brighton’s £80m valuation, the odds of a late breakthrough look slim.
Barring a shock turn in the final hours, Minteh’s immediate future points to Brighton – and a wait to see whether this Liverpool story is merely delayed, rather than dead.
