Yankuba Minteh has addressed his failed summer move to Liverpool for the first time after the Reds had bids rejected for the Brighton winger
Brighton & Hove Albion's Yankuba Minteh in action during a Premier League match
Liverpool were linked with Brighton's Yankuba Minteh in the summer transfer window(Image: Photo by Lee Parker - CameraSport via Getty Images)
Brighton winger Yankuba Minteh has broken his silence following a failed move to Liverpool in the summer transfer window.
The Reds were in desperate need of attacking reinforcements following last year's departure of Luis Diaz and this year's exit for the long-serving Mohamed Salah. The long-term injury absence of Hugo Ekitike also strengthened that desire.
In the latter stages of the window, Liverpool was able to get a deal over the line for Paris Saint-Germain's Bradley Barcola, who had been the primary attacking target throughout the summer. An earlier deal for Victor Munoz also eased some of the pressure.
However, amid uncertainty over the future of Cody Gakpo, who attracted interest from both Tottenham and Manchester City, Liverpool continued to explore its options. The Reds were linked with Minteh as a possible replacement and had two bids rejected for the Gambia international.
Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr was also a rumored target, but much like Minteh, a deal failed to come to fruition due to the selling club's desire to keep its player. A move for Minteh was also complicated by the fact he is still sidelined with an injury.
With the international break in full swing, Minteh has now spoken about his failed move for the first time. Although he was interested in making the switch to Anfield, he remains focused on the task at hand at Brighton this season.
"I am focused. I am in Brighton," he is quoted saying by Gambian news outlet GRTS. "That is the team I am playing for. That is my team and I don’t want to talk much about transfers.
Yankuba Minteh of Brighton & Hove Albion during a Premier League match
Yankuba Minteh has broken his silence after this failed move to Liverpool(Image: Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)
"What God has decided for me, I am happy with it. I am really, really eager to come back and help my team because they are doing good at the moment but if I come back, I will do my best to help them."
It remains to be seen whether Minteh will return to fitness in time for the clash with Brighton at Anfield at the end of October. The 22-year-old sustained a leg injury early on in preseason during a friendly against Roma, with a return penciled in for October or November.
There have been suggestions the winger could be fit in time for Brighton's visit to Sunderland after the international break, which means the trip to Anfield is firmly in sight. The Seagulls have enjoyed a strong start to the Premier League season with three wins from their first five matches, including a shock 3-0 win over Arsenal most recently.
Liverpool, meanwhile, remains unbeaten but has drawn three of its first five. That has, however, been accompanied by victories in the Champions League and Carabao Cup so far.