Most of the focus for Liverpool fans towards the end of the summer transfer window was on the club’s efforts to sign a right winger to bring a little balance to a lopsided frontline, and to that end the club make an effort try to sign Yankuba Minteh from Brighton as well as Ismaïla Sarr from Crystal Palace.
Both moves failed, with Liverpool moving first for Minteh in their late window push before pivoting to Sarr when Brighton rebuffed £50M and £60M offers. Given Minteh is out until October or November due to injury, going higher after that was never seriously considered. What, though, in all of this for Minteh?
Liverpool may have missed out on a much-needed signing, but the 22-year-old player missed out on a lucrative move to a bigger club. Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler was asked about the mindset of the player at his pre-match press conference ahead of their game on the weekend against Leeds United.
“He still wears the Brighton badge,” Hurzeler said. “He’s been here for two years now and we’ve achieved great things together. Therefore, it’s also about him now to commit. 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.”
Liverpool fans will be quick to read a potential January move into Hurzeler’s response, and certainly depending on how the season progresses for the Reds it might be the case that January moves will be made. He does also stress that it’s about Minteh buckling down and performing well this season.
That rather carries the implication Hurzeler might be thinking next summer. And next summer Liverpool could see better value in the likes of Bournemouth right winger Rayan, who has worked with head coach Andoni Iraola and is widely seen as the top winger who could move next summer in England.
Meanwhile, Sarr also may need a minute to sort out his feelings over not getting his own move to Liverpool once the Reds determined Minteh was unavailable at a price they would be willing to pay, with Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage being asked about his Senegalese right winger’s mindset at the moment.
“He has to digest for sure because it’s a dream for a lot of players to play with this kind of club,” Sage noted. “He had a good opportunity but in the end it didn’t work. If he wants to continue, you have to have a good season, but we know he needs time. Like every bad situation, time does the job and we need that.”