Minteh Camp Clings to Liverpool Hope as Deadline Approaches

Yankuba Minteh’s representatives are still pushing for a dramatic deadline-day move to Liverpool, but the deal now sits firmly in the “unlikely” column as the window heads towards its 11pm close.

Liverpool have tracked the 22-year-old Brighton winger throughout August, yet negotiations have stalled with the Seagulls holding out for around £80m. Two bids from Merseyside have already been turned down, the latest believed to be £60m, and Brighton have shown no inclination to soften their stance.

Reporter Ben Jacobs told talkSPORT, via GIVEMESPORT, that Minteh’s camp “are still seeking a move to Liverpool, and they hope that it happens today.” The optimism on the player’s side hasn’t disappeared. The market reality is another story.

Gakpo decision shuts the door

The key twist arrived at Anfield, not Brighton.

Cody Gakpo is staying. Liverpool have knocked back an £80m offer from Manchester City for the Dutch forward in the last 24 hours, according to The Athletic. That figure mirrors the fee Brighton want for Minteh, meaning any potential Minteh move would effectively have been funded by Gakpo’s departure.

Liverpool chose their man.

Gakpo has started the season sharply, with a goal and an assist in his first two games. Minteh, by contrast, is sidelined with an injury expected to keep him out for the foreseeable future. On form and fitness alone, the logic is ruthless: you don’t sell a fit, in-form forward to sign an injured one at the same price.

The knock-on effect is obvious. With Gakpo staying put, the pathway for Minteh to walk through the door has all but closed.

No space, no need

Even if Brighton suddenly softened their stance and Liverpool matched the asking price, there’s a squad question to answer.

If Minteh arrived and none of the current forwards left, Andoni Iraola would be looking at six senior wingers fighting for two starting spots. From a manager’s perspective, that’s a dream for rotation, competition and injury cover. From a dressing-room perspective, it’s a headache.

Someone sits. Someone sulks.

Liverpool have already explored alternatives on the right, including Crystal Palace’s Ismaila Sarr, while Bradley Barcola has completed his move from Paris Saint-Germain, further reshaping the winger market. With those pieces in place and Gakpo staying, the urgency to bring in another wide attacker has evaporated.

Hope vs reality

Minteh’s camp are expected to keep pushing in these final hours, clinging to the possibility that deadline day throws up one last twist. It often does.

But this one looks like a story for another window. All signs point to the 22-year-old remaining a Brighton player through the remainder of 2026.

The question now is simple: will this be the move that got away, or just one that arrived a year too soon?