REAL reason Liverpool didn’t sign Yankuba Minteh as HUGE exit could open up pursuit again

The real reason Liverpool didn’t sign Yankuba Minteh in the summer has been revealed, but a Reds star’s exit could see the pursuit reignited.

The Reds put a lot of effort into finding a top new winger in the summer after Mohamed Salah left. They ended up landing Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain, but not before attempting to land other options.

They pushed for Crystal Palace’s Ismaila Sarr and Brighton’s Minteh among their options.

Minteh’s asking price was set at £80million and Liverpool decided not to pay that after having two offers turned away.

The real reason Yankuba Minteh didn’t join Liverpool

The Gambian journalist who revealed a second offer had been turned away by the Seagulls, Foday Manneh, has revealed it wasn’t the price which stopped the Anfield outfit from signing Minteh.

He said: “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.”

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Cody Gakpo sale could change things

Manneh also feels that there’s a chance Cody Gakpo leaves after he was being courted in the summer – namely by Tottenham and Manchester City – and were he to exit, there’d once again be interest in Minteh.

“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.

“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.

“They can come back and then see whether they can get him. 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.”

Vladimir Smicer tells Liverpool to keep Florian Wirtz

Elsewhere, while Florian Wirtz is having a tough time again this season, former Red Vladimir Smicer feels he should remain at Anfield.

He said: “Florian Wirtz’s future? That’s a tough one.

“It’s important to know how Florian is feeling about his time at Liverpool and the Premier League.

“I don’t know if he is happy here but I believe he can still unlock something and still do well for Liverpool.

“He is still very young and would like to see him play well for Liverpool and stay at the club for another few years so for me, at the moment, I wouldn’t sell him to Bayern Munich or anybody else.

“He has more inside him and I think he will probably show it for Liverpool because he’s already been unlucky with some of his passes and other players not scoring goals.

“He is not underachieving if those great passes became assists.

“Some people are expecting a little too much from him, and I think some people are still seeing the fee that Liverpool paid for him rather than the player, and that’s the problem.

“It was the same with Paul Pogba at Manchester United.”