David Ornstein has revealed that Liverpool have identified Yankuba Minteh as a potential Mohamed Salah for Liverpool.
The news has been revealed as the preseason tour fast approaches for Andoni Iraola, and while Victor Munoz has been signed, the 23-year-old is lacking in experience at the top level and with Spain progressing to the World Cup final, he will have a late introduction to preseason.
Minteh has been an impressive addition to the Premier League since joining Brighton from Feyenoord at the beginning of the 2024/25 season. He has played in a total of 66 Premier League games, providing nine goals and eight assists.
Ornstein revealed the possibility of the signing as a an alternative target to Bradley Barcola who would be Liverpool’s first choice in the position.
Yankuba Minteh’s path to the top
Yankuba Minteh’s journey from the GFA League First Division in The Gambia to the upper echelons of English football is a masterclass in modern scouting and elite-level adaptability.
The Scandinavian Springboard
Minteh’s European breakthrough began in 2022 with Danish Superliga side Odense Boldklub (OB). After initially failing to make a lasting impression on trial, his perseverance earned him a second opportunity and a professional contract. An explosive debut—scoring the winning goal against Copenhagen just three minutes after coming on—foreshadowed his clinical efficiency. With four goals and six assists in just 17 appearances, his raw speed and directness quickly caught the attention of Premier League scouts.
The Newcastle Signing and Feyenoord Education
In June 2023, Newcastle United secured Minteh’s signature for a reported €7 million and immediately sent him on loan to Feyenoord. This tactical move under Arne Slot proved pivotal. In the Eredivisie, Minteh refined his decision-making, netting 10 goals and providing 5 assists in 27 league games. Crucially, he gained invaluable top-tier exposure by scoring in the UEFA Champions League and playing a key role in Feyenoord’s 2023–24 KNVB Cup triumph.
Establishing a Presence at Brighton
To comply with financial regulations, Newcastle sold the Gambian international to Brighton & Hove Albion for £30 million in July 2024. Under Brighton’s forward-thinking system, Minteh’s directness has flourished. He made an immediate impact, assisting on his debut against Everton and scoring crucial goals against the likes of Tottenham and Chelsea. Across his opening two seasons on the South Coast, Minteh has amassed 17 Premier League goal involvements (9 goals and 8 assists), solidifying his status as one of the league’s most exciting young wingers.
Is Minteh similar to Mohamed Salah?
Minteh mirrors Salah in his fundamental positional design. Both are dynamic, left-footed right wingers who thrive on isolating defenders in wide areas before cutting inside onto their favored foot to shoot or create. The mechanical resemblance is striking; during the 2025–26 Premier League season, a staggering 37 of Minteh’s 41 shot attempts came from his left foot, highlighting his heavy reliance on that trademark inside cut. Additionally, Minteh possesses the same explosive, straight-line speed that allows him to stretch defensive lines on fast breaks.
Key Differences: Direct Dribbling vs. Elite Volume Production
While their heat maps look similar, their in-possession roles and output levels diverge significantly:
- Creativity & Output: Salah is an incredibly high-volume penalty-box presence who operates almost as an auxiliary striker. Minteh, on the other hand, still plays like a traditional winger. In his 2025–26 campaign with Brighton, Minteh recorded a respectable 3 goals and 4 assists, but he remains far more reliant on crossing and out-wide dribbling rather than dominating central spaces.
- Defensive Work Rate: Interestingly, Minteh outshines a typical modern forward in his defensive contributions, registering a high volume of tackles and recoveries for Brighton. This relentless off-the-ball energy is a byproduct of his development under tactical coaches like Arne Slot at Feyenoord.
- Refinement: At 21, Minteh’s primary hurdle remains his consistency and final-ball decision-making. Salah is one of the world’s most efficient and clinical operators, whereas Minteh is still in the phase of converting raw electric potential into steady, weekly returns.
