Liverpool is seemingly pushing for a deal to sign Yankuba Minteh from Brighton this summer, with the Reds seeing a bid for the winger turned down.
Yankuba Minteh of Brighton and Hove Albion reacts after being taken off for a concussion substitute during the Premier League match between Everton FC and Brighton & Hove Albion FC
Yankuba Minteh is open to joining Liverpool this summer(Image: (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images))
Brighton star Yankuba Minteh appears open to joining Liverpool this summer, as the Reds have seen an opening bid rejected for the winger.
Recent reports have stated that the Reds lodged a $68 million offer for the Gambian international, in an attempt to improve the forward options available to Andoni Iraola.
It seems as though Brighton has turned down that approach, with it currently being unclear whether the Seagulls would be open to an exit for the forward.
Minteh, 22, has impressed on the south coast since he made the move there from Newcastle United for a fee worth roughly $41 million back in 2024.
In the two years since, the winger has managed to score ten goals and assist nine times to his teammates, showing plenty of promise with his overall displays and performances on the right flank.
It has clearly been enough to convince Liverpool that he could be the player to solve the current depth issues within the forward ranks for Iraola.
The manager has pleaded with the recruitment team to land another winger, with links persisting over a deal to sign Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain in the past month.
The Frenchman could add more immediate quality, but he would likely feature on the left flank, with the absence of Mohamed Salah now leaving a clear void that needs to be filled on the opposite side.
Minteh could do that, and it seems he would be open to such a move, as The Athletic claims that he is keen on the opportunity if the two clubs can agree to the terms of a transfer.
Yankuba Minteh of Brighton & Hove Albion appeals his yellow card during the Premier League match between Sunderland and Brighton & Hove Albion
Liverpool has seen a bid for Yankuba Minteh rejected by Brighton(Image: (Photo by Alfie Cosgrove/News Images/NurPhoto via Getty Images))
It's a clear boost for Liverpool, should it return to the negotiating table with another offer for Brighton, though it's unclear whether a bid will be entertained or not.
For the Reds, there are still some clear hurdles that need to be passed in order to get a deal done, while there may be further concerns over the short-term ramifications of such a move.
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Minteh is set to be sidelined for another two months due to an injury he picked up in preseason for Brighton, which required surgery to fix.
That may still force Iraola to make some more immediate fixes to the team while he would make his recovery, but the long-term impact of the switch is clearly in the minds of the recruitment team.
With under two weeks remaining in the market, it's unclear if Liverpool can get a deal done or not, but that certainly hasn't stopped it from trying to sign the promising youngster.