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🚨 Liverpool know they need a long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah and are lining up Brighton & Hove Albion winger Yankuba Minteh as an option. A bid worth over £100M would be needed to prize him away from Brighton. Minteh’s progress will be monitored closely from now until the end of the season.
Report: Liverpool prepared to spend big on potential Salah successor who’s already wowed Slot
Liverpool are reportedly prepared to break the bank for a prospective successor to Mo Salah on the right flank.
Even after the expensive acquisitions of Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak this year, the Reds continue to be linked with potential attacking signings for 2026, with Antoine Semenyo and Michael Olise prominent among the names being mentioned.
Another rumoured transfer target has now emerged for the Premier League champions, and it’s a player who Arne Slot already knows quite well.
Liverpool prepared to spend big on Yankuba Minteh
According to Footy-Africa (via CaughtOffside), Liverpool are prepared to pay in excess of £100m for Brighton winger Yankuba Minteh as a prospective succession plan to Salah.
The report claims that no official bid has yet been made by the Reds, although ‘insiders suggest’ that discussions between the two clubs ‘could accelerate’ in the weeks leading up to the January transfer window.
Minteh is talented but replacing Salah would be a tall order
Slot is already well aware of the 21-year-old’s qualities, having previously managed him at Feyenoord, and the LFC head coach has spoken glowingly about the Gambia international’s qualities.
The Dutchman said (via Fatu Network): “He certainly doesn’t lack self-confidence. His willingness to give everything is enormous. When we see his statistics, it is really impressive. Minteh ran more sprint metres against Ajax in an hour than many players in two games. He is incredibly fast, and he wants it so badly.”
As illustrated by statistics from FBref and in the table below, the Brighton winger ranks highly among positional peers in Europe’s five main leagues over the past year for a number of metrics, particularly standing out for his ball-carrying ability and his work when out of possession.
Minteh since November 2024Average per 90 minutesPercentile among positional peers in Europe’s 5 main leaguesProgressive carries4.982ndSuccessful take-ons2.4593rdTackles2.5397thClearances1.3189th
However, one area where the 21-year-old has plenty of room for improvement is probably the most important of all for a forward – goalscoring. He’s netted just eight times in 47 games for the Seagulls, with 23 in 101 senior career appearances so far (Transfermarkt).
Salah has scored a minimum of 23 goals in each of his eight full seasons at Liverpool, and while that output may have sharply decreased this term, it’s still an incredibly high bar for Minteh to try and emulate.
The likelihood of the Reds paying £100m for the Brighton winger is quite low, and for all his underlying qualities and scope to get even better over the next few years, he doesn’t appear to be what LFC need for now.
Mikel Arteta could start 16-year-old in third-ro
Arsenal are expected to rotate when they travel to take on Portsmouth in the FA Cup.
It is the first of four away games in four competitions in the space of nine days and Mikel Arteta is set to make use of the strong squad available to him.
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That could mean a first start for Eberechi Eze since the Carabao Cup win over Crystal Palace last month, while Noni Madueke is also in contention to come into the side.
Arsenal hope to have Kai Havertz in the squad but he is not believed to be ready to start, so Gabriel Jesus will likely lead the line unless Arteta opts to keep trying to play Viktor Gyokeres into form.
The Gunners will again be without Riccardo Calafiori, with Arteta confirming that this match will be “too early” for him.
Piero Hincapie is also a major doubt, having gone off against Liverpool with a suspected hamstring injury. He was due to undergo scans on Friday.
“We have to see the extent of what happened to Piero,” Arteta said.
“He could not carry on in the second half, so I don’t know exactly what it is.”
That leaves Myles Lewis-Skelly as the obvious starter at left-back and there could be an opportunity for 16-year-old Marli Salmon if Arteta decides to rest one of Gabriel or William Saliba.
Kepa will start in goal, as he has been doing in the Carabao Cup, and the likes of Christian Norgaard and Mikel Merino are options in midfield.
Ethan Nwaneri will hope for some minutes, even off the bench. He has not featured since the win over Club Brugge a month ago.
Predicted Arsenal XI (4-3-3): Kepa; White, Saliba, Salmon, Lewis-Skelly; Norgaard, Merino, Eze; Madueke, Jesus, Martinelli
Injured: Calafiori, Mosquera, Dowman
Doubts: Hincapie, Havertz
Time and date: 2pm GMT on Sunday, January 11, 2026
How to watch: TNT Sports
Venue: Fratton Park
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Arsenal injury, suspension list and return dates vs. Portsmouth: Piero Hincapie, Riccardo Calafiori, Cristhian Mosquera latest
Arsenal will begin their bid to win the FA Cup for the 15th time in their history when they travel to Fratton Park for Sunday’s meeting with Championship strugglers Portsmouth.
The Gunners missed the chance to further extend their six-point lead at the top of the Premier League table in Thursday’s underwhelming goalless draw against Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium.
While their five-game winning league run came to an end, Mikel Arteta will be pleased with the fact that his side are now unbeaten in seven competitive matches ahead of Sunday’s cup tie and Wednesday’s EFL Cup semi-final first leg against Chelsea.
Here, Sports Mole rounds up all of Arsenal’s latest injury and suspension news ahead of the clash with Portsmouth, who are languishing in 21st spot in the Championship standings.
Piero Hincapie
Status: Major doubt
Type of injury: Muscle
Possible return date: January 11 (vs. Portsmouth)
Hincapie was forced off with what appeared to be a muscle problem in the 57th minute of Thursday’s draw with Liverpool. Arteta now faces a nervous wait to discover the full extent of the defender’s injury.
Kai Havertz
Status: Minor doubt
Type of injury: Match fitness
Possible return date: January 11 (vs. Portsmouth)
Havertz has recovered from the knee injury that kept him out of action for months. However, he has been left out of Arsenal’s last two matchday squads as he continues to build up his fitness. There is a possibility that the forward could make his first appearance since August in Sunday’s FA Cup clash.
Riccardo Calafiori
Status: Out
Type of injury: Muscle
Possible return date: January 14 (vs. Chelsea)
Calafiori has sat out Arsenal’s last four matches with a muscle injury. The defender is making progress in his recovery, but he is not expected to be ready for the upcoming trip to the south coast.
Cristhian Mosquera
Status: Out
Type of injury: Ankle
Possible return date: January 14 (vs. Chelsea)
Like Calafiori, Mosquera is closing in on a return to action after missing over a month of action due to an ankle injury. However, the former Valencia defender will not be available for selection this weekend.
Max Dowman
Status: Out
Type of injury: Ankle
Possible return date: Unknown
Max Dowman is likely to be out until February after sustaining an ankle problem while playing for Arsenal Under-21s in last month’s behind-closed-doors friendly against Manchester United.
ARSENAL’S SUSPENSION LIST
Arsenal have no players suspended for the third-round tie.
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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.
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Whether or not the right players are out there remains to be seen, but with Arteta enduring several injury blows already this season – particularly in defence – the manager will be keeping a close eye on potential targets.
The Gunners splashed the cash in the summer, bringing in the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze, Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera to the Emirates Stadium – so a loan deal might favour the club
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There could also be high-profile exits, both loans and permanent deals, with young midfield talent Ethan Nwaneri linked with an exit. Other youngsters could also make loan moves to get a taste of first-team football.
With that said, football.london takes a closer look at all the moves completed by Arsenal so far this January.
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