Minteh Camp Clings to Liverpool Hope Amid Deadline Day Drama
Yankuba Minteh’s representatives are still pushing for a dramatic deadline day move to Liverpool, but the deal now sits firmly in long-shot territory.
The Brighton winger has been on Liverpool’s radar throughout August, with the Seagulls standing firm on an £80m valuation for the 22-year-old Gambia international. Two bids from Merseyside have already been turned away, the latest believed to be around £60m.
Brighton haven’t blinked. And with the window hours from closing, neither have Liverpool.
Agents pushing, reality biting
Journalist Ben Jacobs revealed on Tuesday morning that Minteh’s camp are still trying to engineer a late switch to Anfield, even as the odds lengthen.
“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.
The key line sits in the subtext: Gakpo is going nowhere. That alone makes a Minteh deal highly unlikely before the 11pm cut-off.
Liverpool have already tested the winger market this summer. Ismaila Sarr of Crystal Palace has been explored as a right-sided option, and Bradley Barcola has now completed his move from Paris Saint-Germain, taking another potential target off the board. With Gakpo staying put, the urgency to add yet another wide forward has evaporated.
Gakpo decision shuts the door
The numbers tell their own story. Liverpool have turned down an £80m bid from Manchester City for Gakpo in the past 24 hours, according to The Athletic. That figure mirrors the fee Brighton want for Minteh.
In simple terms, Liverpool could have sold Gakpo for £80m and used that money to move for Minteh at the same price. They chose not to. That choice is decisive.
It also makes football sense. Minteh is currently sidelined with an injury and is expected to be out for a significant spell. Gakpo, by contrast, has started the campaign sharply, with a goal and an assist in his first two games. Trading a fit, in-form forward for an injured one at equal cost would be a hard sell in any recruitment meeting.
Too many wingers, not enough minutes
Even if Liverpool did push ahead for Minteh without moving anyone on, the squad picture would quickly get crowded.
Should the Gambian arrive and all of Liverpool’s current forwards remain, Andoni Iraola would be left with six senior wingers contesting two starting spots. It’s a manager’s dream for rotation and depth across four competitions, but a nightmare when it comes to keeping high-profile players satisfied with their minutes.
Right now, Liverpool’s attack looks balanced. The club’s refusal to cash in on Gakpo underlines that view.
A late twist… or a quiet end?
Minteh’s agents are unlikely to down tools before the window slams shut. They will keep pushing in the final hours, hoping for a late twist that drags Liverpool back to the table.
But with Gakpo staying, Brighton unmoved on price, and Liverpool already well stocked in wide areas, the odds are heavily stacked against a deal.
Deadline day has a habit of tearing up scripts. Unless something extraordinary happens, though, the 22-year-old looks set to remain a Brighton player for the rest of 2026.
