Liverpool’s £50m offer turned down for Premier League player who’s out injured and will miss the start of the season.
Liverpool recently had a £50 million offer turned down for Brighton & Hove Albion winger Yankuba Minteh as they keep working hard to strengthen their attacking options. It’s been a pretty quiet transfer window at Anfield so far, with Andoni Iraola bringing in just two new players: Victor Munoz from Mallorca, who joined after his £34.5 million release clause was met, and Ronaldo Araujo on a season-long loan from Barcelona.
But since Liverpool want to finish in the top four, Iraola knows he needs to add more players before the September 1 deadline. Finding a new left-sided winger is a big priority. They’re still trying to sign Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola, but PSG are asking for a huge £130 million to let the 23-year-old go.
Liverpool have also reportedly agreed personal terms with Barcola’s teammate, 18-year-old Ibrahim Mbaye, after talks with the young player’s agent, Jorge Mendes. However, like with Barcola, a transfer fee hasn’t been settled yet, so Liverpool are also looking at other options just in case.
One option is long-term target Yankuba Minteh. Journalist David Ornstein shared on X that Brighton have rejected Liverpool’s £50 million bid for the 22-year-old winger. Minteh is currently recovering from surgery on a leg injury he got during a 3-0 friendly win against Roma earlier this month, and he’s expected to be out for about eight more weeks. This shows how eager Liverpool are to add a winger before the transfer window closes.
Ornstein also noted that Minteh is interested in moving to Anfield if the clubs agree on a fee. He’s one of a few players Liverpool are considering. Brighton don’t have to sell, as Minteh’s contract runs until June 2029. With Carlos Baleba edging closer to a move to Manchester United, there might be some willingness for Minteh to leave if the price is right. If he joins Liverpool, he could quickly become a key player on the right wing.
Minteh is known for his explosive speed and ability to take on defenders, making him tough for full-backs to handle. However, since joining Brighton from Newcastle United for £30 million two years ago, his goal stats haven’t been outstanding — he’s scored 10 goals in 73 games and had seven goal contributions last Premier League season as Brighton qualified for the Europa Conference League. If he comes to Liverpool, he’ll need to improve those numbers.
Fabian Hurzeler gave an interesting take on Minteh, especially praising his defensive progress. After Minteh scored against Sunderland in March, Hurzeler said, “We know he can do unpredictable things; he has quality not many players have, and I’m really happy for him. He got his chance today and used it really well. We’re working with him to keep doing unpredictable things going forward but also to be more reliable defensively and do the simple things right in our own half. He’s learning what it takes to help the team, not just be a great attacker but also contribute defensively. He’s going through an important process, and I’m happy with how he’s doing. Tough moments are part of the game, but this goal should give him confidence that he’s on the right track.”
Since Iraola wants his players to press from the front and work hard defensively, those words will be encouraging as Liverpool aim to sign one of the Premier League’s most exciting young wingers.