Liverpool’s pursuit of Brighton winger Yankuba Minteh reportedly fell through for a reason that had little to do with the £80 million asking price.
Liverpool had made two offers for the Gambian winger during the summer, with both bids rejected by Brighton. While the transfer appeared to have stalled because of the Seagulls’ valuation, Gambian journalist Foday Manneh has revealed that Minteh’s injury ultimately became the biggest obstacle.
Speaking to Sport Witness, Manneh explained that Liverpool were still considering increasing their offer during the final hours of the transfer window. However, concerns over when Minteh would recover and how quickly he could return to regular action became more important than the transfer fee.
According to Manneh, Liverpool were prepared to go as high as around £72-75 million for the winger if he had been fit. However, the injury created too much uncertainty for the club to complete the deal.
Manneh said the injury became a “very, very significant” factor during the closing stages of the window, with Liverpool assessing how soon Minteh could return and whether they could depend on him after signing him.
Liverpool had already explored other options, including Victor Munoz, before eventually completing a deal for Bradley Barcola. Minteh remained an attractive alternative, but his fitness situation reportedly prevented the Reds from making another major push.
Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock has also suggested that the club could potentially return for Minteh in the future. He raised the possibility of Liverpool revisiting the winger’s situation in January, particularly if the club still needs a long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah.
The latest information therefore suggests that Liverpool’s failure to sign Minteh was not simply a case of Brighton refusing to lower their £80 million valuation. Instead, concerns surrounding the winger’s injury played a major role in Liverpool deciding not to take the final step.
Liverpool were reportedly willing to increase their offer, but the uncertainty surrounding Minteh’s fitness ultimately stopped the deal from progressing.
