Transfer news: Liverpool contact Minteh’s camp over potential summer deal

Transfer news – Liverpool have added Brighton winger Yankuba Minteh to their shortlist of potential replacements for Mohamed Salah, who confirmed he will leave Anfield at the end of the season. According to reports, the club has now moved beyond passive scouting and made direct contact with the player’s representatives, signalling that interest has turned into genuine intent. Minteh’s agent, Bakary Bojang, refused to confirm or deny a specific transfer, but made a telling remark that the winger dreams of competing at the highest level.

What does the transfer news tell us about Liverpool’s summer strategy?

Minteh is well known to Arne Slot, having previously worked under him at Feyenoord before joining Brighton from Newcastle United in the summer of 2024. That prior relationship gives Liverpool a natural advantage in player conversations, and Slot is reported to speak highly of the Gambian’s qualities. Though the forward has publicly stated he has fallen in love with Brighton, the suggestion is that a move to a club of Liverpool’s stature would prove difficult to turn down if the opportunity formally arises.

Brighton, however, hold all the cards commercially. They paid £33 million to sign Minteh from Newcastle, and they want to at least double that figure in any sale, placing a realistic exit price in the region of £66 million. The Seagulls are under no immediate pressure to sell, with Minteh contracted at the Amex Stadium until June 2029. That contract security hands Brighton every reason to hold firm and wait for a club to blink first.

Can Liverpool afford to pass on this transfer news opportunity?

The Athletic noted that Minteh can operate on either flank but favours the right, where Slot predominantly deployed him, describing him as quick and a progressive ball carrier, while flagging that his decision-making and out-of-possession work still need refinement. He sits among six Premier League-based forwards Liverpool are currently evaluating, alongside Mohammed Kudus, Anthony Gordon, Jarrod Bowen, Crysencio Summerville, and Bournemouth’s Rayan.

My View:

Liverpool absolutely need a winger in this window. Salah’s exit leaves a gap that carries no straightforward solution, and Minteh does fit the profile on paper with his pace, directness, and Premier League experience. However, paying £66 million or more for a player who registered three goals and four assists across 32 league appearances represents a genuine gamble, not a statement of intent.

His numbers simply do not yet justify the fee Brighton will demand. Slot’s familiarity with him helps, but familiarity does not guarantee form at the required level. Liverpool could pass on Minteh if a more productive alternative emerges, and their shortlist is long enough to suggest they are keeping their options wide open.

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Realistically, a deal is possible only if Brighton soften their valuation or if Liverpool fail to land a higher-priority target first. At present, Minteh looks more like a fallback than a first choice, and that tells you everything about where this stands heading into the summer.