Liverpool submits £60M bid for Yankuba Minteh, rejected by Brighton

Liverpool’s pursuit of Brighton winger Yankuba Minteh has entered round two. The Reds submitted a £60 million bid for the 22-year-old Gambian international, only to have Brighton reject it. Brighton reportedly wants closer to £70 million, a gap that suggests these negotiations still have a few chapters left.

This marks Liverpool’s second rejected offer for Minteh. An initial £50 million bid was turned down around August 20, and the £10 million bump clearly wasn’t enough to change Brighton’s mind. The Seagulls have reportedly valued their winger in the £70-80 million range, which means Liverpool’s latest attempt still fell short by at least £10 million.

Why Liverpool wants Minteh this badly

The answer is two words: Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian King departed Liverpool, and filling that void on the wing has become the club’s most pressing priority under manager Andoni Iraola.

Minteh has been on Liverpool’s radar as a potential Salah successor for some time. The Gambia international has contributed 9 goals and between 8 and 9 assists across 66 Premier League appearances for Brighton, numbers that suggest a player still ascending rather than one who’s peaked.

Liverpool haven’t been sitting idle while pursuing Minteh. They already secured Victor Muñoz from Osasuna for £34.5 million this summer, adding one wide option to the squad. Reports also link them with PSG’s Bradley Barcola, indicating the club is casting a wide net rather than putting all their eggs in the Minteh basket.

Sources suggest the player himself is open to the move, which removes one potential obstacle. The remaining hurdle is purely financial.

Brighton’s side of the equation

Brighton’s reluctance to sell makes perfect sense when you look at the math. They bought Minteh from Newcastle United for £30 million in July 2024, meaning even Liverpool’s £60 million bid would represent a 100% return on investment after just two years.

There’s also a practical consideration. Minteh is currently sidelined with a right leg injury sustained during a pre-season match against Roma, with an expected return around October. Brighton is dealing with injuries to other key players as well, making them even less inclined to weaken their squad further during a period when depth is already thin.

One detail worth noting: there is reportedly no sell-on clause owed to Newcastle from any future Minteh transfer. That means Brighton keeps 100% of whatever fee they eventually agree to, which paradoxically might make them more willing to wait for their asking price rather than feel pressure to cash in quickly.

The valuation gap and what comes next

Liverpool’s willingness to raise their offer from £50 million to £60 million in quick succession signals genuine intent. It also tells Brighton something useful: Liverpool probably has more room to move. When a buyer increases their bid by 20% after one rejection, the seller reasonably assumes the ceiling hasn’t been reached.

For Brighton, the calculus involves weighing a guaranteed large fee now against the risk that Minteh’s injury complicates things. A player returning from a right leg injury in October faces half a season to rebuild form and prove his value. If he comes back strong, Brighton’s valuation looks justified. If the recovery is slower than expected, that £60 million offer might start looking more attractive in hindsight.

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