Liverpool’s pursuit of Yankuba Minteh has cooled for now, but it has not gone away. This September 2026 update brings supporters up to speed on where things stand after a summer window that ended without the Gambian international moving to Anfield.
H2: September 2026 update: Where Liverpool stand on Yankuba Minteh
Liverpool’s summer business is done. The club completed four signings during the window, and their plans to refresh the squad concluded with winger Bradley Barcola arriving as the final addition shortly before deadline day.
Minteh was not part of that business. Liverpool had two separate bids for him rejected before deadline day, and he remains a Brighton player. He is currently sidelined through injury, and manager Andoni Iraola continues to work through his squad options at Anfield without him.
H2: Summer interest and rejected bids for Brighton attacker
Before the window closed, Liverpool looked at more than one option to add depth to their forward line. Crystal Palace winger Ismaila Sarr was among the names considered, alongside Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh.
Liverpool went further with Minteh, submitting two separate bids for the attacker. Brighton turned down both, and negotiations between the two clubs ultimately broke down, leaving Minteh at the Amex beyond the deadline.
H2: What Fabian Hurzeler said about Minteh’s future dream
Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler addressed the speculation directly when speaking to reporters ahead of his side’s Premier League fixture against Leeds United, in comments first detailed in our original reporting on Hurzeler’s comments.
Hurzeler was clear that Minteh remains committed to Brighton for now. “[Minteh] wears the Brighton colours, he wears the Brighton badge – he’s been here for two years now,” he said. “We’ve achieved great things together. Therefore, it’s also about him now to commit.”
The Brighton boss tied any future move to the team’s collective success this season. “In the end, we always say we want to be successful as a club, but then you can [also] shine as individuals. If we achieve things together, then attention will come to those players.”
Crucially for Liverpool fans, Hurzeler did not rule out a departure. “This will be the case this season; if the whole team is successful, then Yankuba will maybe fulfil his dream in the next transfer window,” he said, leaving the possibility of a future move open.
H2: Yankuba Minteh Liverpool transfer: Current status and potential future move
Right now, Minteh is not close to joining Liverpool. He remains contracted to Brighton, is currently out through injury, and no fresh bid has followed the two Liverpool had rejected over the summer.
What happens next is genuinely uncertain. According to Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler, a move could come “in the next transfer window” if Brighton have a successful season, but neither club has confirmed any plan to reopen talks in January or next summer. No date for Minteh’s return from injury has been made public either, so supporters should treat any timeline as unconfirmed for now.
In short, the dream move Hurzeler described remains possible, but it depends on factors outside Liverpool’s control, including Brighton’s form and Minteh’s recovery.
H2: What happens next
Iraola’s immediate focus at Anfield is on the current squad rather than revisiting a deal for Minteh. Liverpool have shown they can compete without him, including in their recent Carabao Cup victory at Anfield.
Attention now turns to fixtures such as the club’s upcoming European fixture coverage against Monaco, with Barcola already in the squad to add competition in wide areas.
Any renewed move for Minteh would likely wait until he is fit again and until there is clearer indication of Brighton’s season, in line with Hurzeler’s own comments. For now, supporters are best served watching for official confirmation from either club rather than assuming a deal will follow in January.
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