Despite holding on to their key man, Brighton are not expected to welcome Yankuba Minteh back to the fold any time soon.
The Gambian international hasn't featured for the Seagulls in any match this season, as a result of his injury issues.
He was the subject of strong reported interest from Liverpool, with Brighton reportedly turning down offers as high as £60m to hold onto the former Newcastle United winger.
However, the Seagulls stood firm on their valuation - reportedly requiring more than £70m to sell the 22-year-old - and a move to Anfield never materialised.
Minteh was still absent from Brighton's squad for their home Premier League draw with Leeds United, though this was not a surprise, due to his well documented injury issues.
The Seagulls will be hoping for a return of one of their key dangermen as soon as possible, as they look to build on a promising start to the new campaign.
With all that in mind, let's take a look at when Minteh is likely to return to action following his latest injury setback.
When is Yankuba Minteh expected to return?
Minteh initially suffered the injury in Brighton's friendly against Roma on 8th August, meaning he has been absent from training and matches since.
Speaking at the time, Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler said: “He will miss for a long period and it’s definitely a problem for us because he is a key player but we will find a way to manage this.”
As a result, The Athletic reported that the Gambian winger would miss two to three months of action, with a return date of early November said to be realistic.
Should Minteh return in November - and return to the form that put him in the spotlight for a move in the first place - Liverpool could reportedly return with a new bid to secure his signature.
Speaking on a potential future transfer for Minteh, Hurzeler said: "If the whole team is successful and the individual shines then Yankuba will get a lot of attention again and he can then maybe fulfil his dream in the next transfer window."
