Liverpool decide on Yankuba Minteh transfer after getting the latest injury update
Liverpool have made some choices about signing Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh, even though he’s currently injured. The Reds started their season with a dramatic 2-2 draw against Newcastle on Sunday and have made just a few big signings this summer. They brought in Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes and got Ronald Araujo on loan from Barcelona. They also signed Spain’s Victor Munoz for £34.5 million, who helped win a penalty in his first game at St James’ Park.
But Liverpool really want more help in attack. Paris Saint-Germain’s winger Bradley Barcola is a top target for them. The club is still working on a deal for Barcola but has also been pushing to sign Minteh from Brighton. According to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, talks with Brighton are still going on.
Minteh is out injured after ankle surgery following a pre-season game against Roma. Signing him now feels risky since he may not be ready to play for two or three months, and Liverpool need players who can help right away. Still, Liverpool really want him because he’s a left-footed winger who can play on the right, which makes him a good replacement for Mo Salah, who left for Trabzonspor.
Liverpool had two bids of £50 million and £60 million turned down. Brighton is asking for over £70 million for Minteh, who is only 22 and under contract until 2029. Fabrizio Romano says Liverpool and Minteh have agreed on personal terms, but the price is still a problem.
If Liverpool sign both Minteh and Barcola, it would strengthen their attack a lot. Barcola wasn’t even in PSG’s squad for their recent 2-2 game with Rennes, and with new signings at PSG, he might not stay there. PSG’s sporting advisor Luis Campos said, “we’ll see what happens” about Barcola. TEAMtalk reports that PSG might sell Barcola for around £120 million, down from a previous £145 million price tag, which would have broken the Premier League transfer record.
With their squad looking thin, Liverpool will likely be busy signing more players before the transfer window closes on September 1.