Door Shut: Brighton Knock Back Liverpool’s Opening £50m Offer for Yankuba Minteh
Liverpool’s aggressive summer overhaul has hit a firm hurdle on the South Coast. Brighton & Hove Albion have rejected a £50 million opening proposal from the Reds for 22-year-old winger Yankuba Minteh.
As new Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola continues assembling his squad ahead of the Premier League campaign, filling the high-profile right-sided attacking void left by Mohamed Salah remains the club’s top priority. However, Brighton have made it clear they will not part ways with their Gambian international on the cheap.
The Bid & The Injury Complication
The timing of Liverpool’s approach raised eyebrows across the league. Minteh is currently sidelined and recovering from surgery after sustaining a leg injury during a pre-season friendly against Roma, which is expected to keep him out of action for up to eight weeks.
Despite knowing the winger will miss the start of the season, Liverpool pressed ahead with their £50m proposal—a sign of how highly the club’s recruitment team values his profile. Minteh is reportedly open to making the move to Anfield should the two clubs reach an agreement on a transfer fee.
Yankuba Minteh: Career Profile & Transfer Context
| Metric / Parameter | Details |
| Current Club | Brighton & Hove Albion |
| Joined From | Newcastle United (£30m in 2024) |
| Premier League Record | 9 goals in 66 appearances |
| Liverpool Bid Amount | £50 Million (Rejected) |
| Fitness Status | Recovering from leg surgery (~8 weeks out) |
Why Brighton Held Firm
Brighton head coach Fabian Hürzeler considers Minteh a key component of his attacking structure following two strong campaigns where the former Newcastle player delivered 9 goals and consistent width on the right flank.
Furthermore, Brighton are in a position of strength and under no financial pressure to sell:
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Roster Depth: With forward Danny Welbeck departing for Chelsea and Kaoru Mitoma currently sidelined, losing Minteh would severely deplete Brighton’s wide attacking options.
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Valuation: Having bought Minteh for £30m two years ago, Brighton value his ceiling much higher than the £50m package offered by Merseyside executives.
Liverpool’s Broader Search for Wide Attackers
While Liverpool weigh up whether to return with an upgraded bid for Minteh, the recruitment department is actively exploring parallel options across Europe:
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Bradley Barcola: Paris Saint-Germain’s star remains a primary target, but PSG’s massive £145 million valuation poses a major stumbling block.
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Ibrahim Mbaye: Liverpool have also monitored PSG’s 18-year-old sensation as a high-upside alternative, though no official offer has been lodged.
With the transfer deadline approaching, Liverpool must decide whether to test Brighton’s resolve with a higher bid or pivot elsewhere to complete Iraola’s frontline setup.
