Yankuba Minteh is the subject of interest from Liverpoolplaceholder image
Yankuba Minteh is the subject of interest from Liverpool | Getty Images
Liverpool are already planning ahead to the January window after a slow start to their Premier League title defence
For Liverpool, last Sunday’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City, was a sobering, chastening experience. It reminded them just how far they have fallen since the end of last season in terms of quality. While it also leaves Arne Slot with plenty to think about heading into the November international break, with the January transfer window just around the corner.
It wasn’t supposed to be like this for Liverpool. They won the league at a canter last season without any significant signings in the 2024 window, and looked to have assembled their very own answer to the Galacticos by breaking the British transfer record twice this summer while also adding in stars like Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez to firmly mark themselves as the team to beat.
Liverpool started the season in irresistible form - winning all of their opening seven games across all competitions. They’d established a five-point lead at the top of the table which was practically unheard of at such an early stage of the season, but now find themselves in eighth position - eight points behind leaders Arsenal while falling to defeat five times in the league - which is more than the Reds managed in 38 matches last term.
It’ll take an almighty effort for Liverpool to win the league this season, but the campaign is still young and it’s fair to say that a lot can still change in the coming months, particularly if the champions can use the winter window to their advantage.
Liverpool plot January swoop for Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh
Liverpool have expressed a strong interest in signing in-form Brighton winger Yankuba Minteh this winter.
Football Insider journalist Peter O’Rourke claims Arne Slot sees the Gambian international as the perfect long-term successor to talisman Mohamed Salah, who only has just over 18 months remaining on his Anfield deal after signing an extension over the summer.
Minteh, who is regarded as one of the most exciting young talents in the league, is a player that Slot is very familiar with from his time at Feyenoord. He signed Minteh on a season-long loan deal from Newcastle United during his final season in charge of the Rotterdam-based outfit - and oversaw the youngster’s breakout campaign as he recorded 11 goals and five assists in 37 matches.
Slot said at the time: “Minteh went to Newcastle United and the English were looking for a club to loan him to. That’s how he came to us. He certainly doesn’t lack self-confidence. His willingness to give everything is enormous. When we see his statistics, it is really impressive.
This form inspired Brighton to beat Everton to the signing of Minteh for £30m before he had even made his Newcastle debut, and it’s fair to say that the deal has paid off for the East Sussex side, with the 21-year-old recording eight goals and eight assists in 49 appearances since the start of last season.
Minteh is renowned for his relentless ability to press opposing defences, his explosive pace to make runs in behind the backline and his incredible dribbling qualities. He sits second in the list of players with take-ons leading to a shot attempt and has recorded six goal-creating chances this term which is amongst the top 10 highest in the league.
The bold Liverpool and Brighton swap deal Arne Slot could push for
Liverpool made a lot of marquee signings during the summer window while also allowing a number of useful squad players to depart.
One of those was Euro Under-21 Player of the Tournament Harvey Elliott, who completed a season-long loan move to Aston Villa. The 22-year-old, who joined Liverpool in 2019, racked up 149 appearances in total for the club he grew up supporting, but left over the summer to try and get regular first team minutes to propel himself into the England setup.
Many saw this deadline day signing as a real coup for the Villans, but the youngster has only played five matches across all competitions, without yet starting a single Premier League match.
Elliott’s loan deal at Villa includes an obligation to buy for £35m which is reported to come into effect if he plays somewhere in the region of 10 matches for the West Midlands side.
Yet bizarrely, despite being match fit, he hasn’t even made the squad in any of the team’s last two league matches he has been eligible for. Reports suggest Unai Emery hasn’t been impressed with the Surrey-born midfielder, while it’s even claimed that the loan deal could be cut short prematurely in January.
It’s a strange set of circumstances which could either hand Elliott a lifeline to try and break into the Reds midfield or signal a change of direction in his career.
One possibility for the Reds could be to sell Elliott, who can play as both an attacking midfielder and a right-winger, to Brighton in exchange for Minteh plus a small sum of cash.
Elliott is without doubt still a player that could appeal to Brighton. He’s versatile, has excellent creative talents and has proven that he can perform at a high level throughout his Liverpool career and perhaps even more notably in the most recent Under-21 European Championships.
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