Liverpool would have signed PL star for £72-75m in late summer deal – but one thing stopped them | OneFootball

Liverpool would have raised their offer for Yankuba Minteh to £72-75m in the summer window but worries about his injury ended their interest, according to reports.

The Reds lost Mohamed Salah at the end of last season with the Egypt international eventually deciding to join Turkish side Trabzonspor over the summer.

Liverpool brought in Victor Munoz from Osasuna and Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain to cover for the loss of Salah but the Reds are still on the lookout for a predominantly right-sided winger.

Most of their current wingers are used to playing on the left-hand side with Liverpool working until deadline day to try and get a right-sided signing over the line.

Brighton’s Minteh and Crystal Palace’s Ismaila Sarr were two players they made bids for but eventually gave up before the transfer window closed.

And now Gambian journalist Foday Manneh, who gave many updates on Minteh’s potential move to Liverpool in January, has now given a thorough explanation as to why the deal didn’t happen.

“So, from that instant, Liverpool started looking for Salah’s replacement and Yankuba was one of the profiles they were looking at as the potential replacement for their African legend. They were no contacts, with the player’s camp or even his club.

“Somewhere around February-March, they initiated their first contact with the player’s camp to officially register their interest. To show them that yes, they have been looking at Yankuba and exploring the potential signing.”

Liverpool were thinking about a fresh bid before the deadline after offering £60m earlier in August, Manneh added: “Yes, Brighton were considering around £70m. If Liverpool could have provided that at the time, they would consider selling the player.

“During that period, they already set a deadline. So, within the period also there is a kind of tussle within the parties as to with communication. When Liverpool came on to find out [about Brighton raising the price after deadline, that really posed some challenges.

“Liverpool found that not very reasonable. They informed Brighton it’s too much and they can’t reach £80m, especially since he’s injured.”

It is understood Liverpool may have gone up to £72m-75m but Minteh’s foot injury, which is ruling him out of the first two to three months of the season, was the main concern heading into the final days of the window.

Manneh continued: “Yes the injury I think even at the last days I can say some last hours of the transfer the injury was now the much concern to Liverpool not even the asking price anymore.

“They were still exploring that they could go little beyond what they think they could pay. They explored again to say right now the player is injured how soon he will return and then start counting on him. That was the main challenge.

“No longer about price, it was about the injury, which was very, very significant. In the last few hours of the window, it really played a big part not convincing Liverpool to go fully.

“If it wasn’t for the injury, the Reds were willing now to raise their offer again and then go for the player considering the fact that they couldn’t have a much better option in the market.

“Yes, for me I think they could have gone for him fully if he wasn’t injured. If it wasn’t for the injury they would have got to even pay something around £72-75m. I’m not saying they could pay £80m, but I’m sure they would have got £72-75m for him, but the injury played a huge part, like I said, significantly.”