Liverpool's Yankuba Minteh Return Hinges on Fitness and Cody Gakpo's Exit

Liverpool have not closed the book on Yankuba Minteh, but the version of this story doing the rounds this week is far more conditional than a straightforward transfer lead. Gambian journalist Foday Manneh, speaking to Sport Witness, says a January move for the Brighton winger is 'very, very possible' if Minteh recovers his fitness and form, and possibly only if Cody Gakpo leaves Anfield first.

That is two significant ifs stacked on top of each other, plus a third: Brighton's valuation, which did not soften once during the summer chase. Fans and bettors treating this as a live market signal should read it as low-confidence intelligence rather than an imminent swoop.

What actually happened in the summer chase for Minteh

Liverpool's interest in Minteh is not new. Andoni Iraola's side made two concrete offers during the summer 2026 window, £50 million and then £60 million, and Brighton rejected both, according to the CaughtOffside report detailing the club's ongoing interest.

Brighton's rising price

Brighton's stance hardened as the window went on. The club is understood to have wanted around £70m initially before raising that figure to roughly £80m late in the summer, a jump that priced Liverpool out even as their interest continued.

• First bid: £50m, rejected
• Second bid: £60m, rejected
• Brighton's valuation: rose from around £70m to £80m

The injury that changed the calculation

Price was not the only reason the deal collapsed. Minteh's foot injury played a major role in Liverpool's decision to walk away, a point Manneh had previously made to Sport Witness and one echoed in the wider coverage of the saga. Iraola later admitted Liverpool had also explored a deal for Ismaïla Sarr, but ultimately decided against spending what he called "crazy money" on a short-term fix while Minteh was sidelined.

Why a January reunion depends on fitness, form and Gakpo's future

Manneh's comments are careful to frame any renewed approach as conditional rather than planned. On Minteh's recovery, he told Sport Witness:

"The only thing that is there is the possibility of Liverpool coming back for him in January. It's still not ruled out. It only depends on how soon he can recover and come back… One or two games can convince Liverpool again that this is the player we are looking for and then can make a move."

The Gakpo variable

The second condition is arguably the bigger one. Manneh suggested Liverpool's move might hinge on whether Cody Gakpo departs Anfield in January, opening a spot in the attack:

"Because Cody Gakpo leaving Liverpool in January is still a possibility. So, if Gakpo leaves Liverpool in January, then Yankuba can be the player then they can turn to."

Manneh summarised the whole scenario as dependent on Minteh returning to full fitness and producing a couple of convincing performances: "That depends on if Yankuba could return to football very soon and play that good two or three games. Once he does that, Liverpool coming back in January is very, very possible."

Independent signals, same uncertainty

This is not an isolated claim. Football Insider has separately reported that Minteh remains on Liverpool's January radar, and Brighton head coach Fabian Hürzeler has hinted the door is not entirely shut, details also flagged in the CaughtOffside piece. But none of this amounts to a fresh bid, a agreed fee, or confirmation that Gakpo is actually leaving. It is a picture of continued admiration layered with real obstacles.

Where Minteh fits in Liverpool's bigger winter rebuild

The Minteh chatter matters less as a standalone story and more as one thread in a busier winter shopping list. Liverpool are reportedly assessing several positions at once, which says more about the scale of their planned rebuild than any single quote about one winger.

The profile Liverpool actually lack

Minteh's appeal is straightforward from a footballing perspective. He is a naturally right-sided, left-footed winger who attacks defenders directly and stretches play in a way Liverpool's current squad does not consistently offer, a gap that explains why the club pushed as hard as £60m for him in the summer despite his injury concerns.

Aramburu and Wirtz show the pattern

The Minteh situation sits alongside two other live storylines this window. Liverpool are also being linked with Real Sociedad right-back Jon Aramburu, with both Liverpool and Manchester City monitoring the 24-year-old Venezuela international according to ESPN, a competition for the same target also detailed by CaughtOffside's separate £50m valuation report. Both outlets agree Aramburu is genuinely on Liverpool's radar, though ESPN frames it as a straight fight with City while CaughtOffside emphasises Iraola's ongoing assessment of his right-back options, a difference of emphasis rather than substance.

Meanwhile, Liverpool are braced for renewed Bayern Munich interest in Florian Wirtz come January, though the club remain determined to keep the 23-year-old at Anfield after his big-money move from Bayer Leverkusen in 2025, according to CaughtOffside. Taken together, Minteh, Aramburu and Wirtz point to a club juggling multiple fronts rather than fixating on one deal.

What happens next

Nothing here is close to resolved. Minteh needs to return from injury and string together performances that remind Liverpool why they bid £60m for him in the first place. Gakpo's situation needs clarity that simply does not exist yet. And Brighton, who held their valuation firm all summer, have given no indication they will discount Minteh just because it is January.

The more reliable story is the breadth of Liverpool's winter activity: a right-back search involving Aramburu, an effort to fend off Bayern for Wirtz, and a conditional watching brief on Minteh. Expect confirmation on Gakpo's future, and evidence of Minteh's fitness, well before any fresh Liverpool bid materialises.