A summer that left unfinished business

Andoni Iraola's first transfer window as Liverpool manager was, by any fair measure, a mixed bag. Three first-team signings arrived in Victor Munoz, Ronald Araujo, and Bradley Barcola, and Jeremy Jacquet, recruited under his predecessor Arne Slot, was handed his debut. But the glaring gap on the right flank, left by the departure of Mohamed Salah, was never properly filled. That particular piece of business remains very much outstanding.

The pursuit of Yankuba Minteh summed up the summer's frustration neatly. Liverpool went back to Brighton twice, first with a £50million bid, then with a £60million offer, and were knocked back on both occasions. The Seagulls dug their heels in and Minteh stayed at the Amex Stadium. For now, at least.

Brighton's manager opens the door for January

Here's where things get genuinely interesting. Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has given Liverpool supporters real reason to believe the Minteh saga is not finished. The 33-year-old spoke in terms that few at Anfield will have missed, saying: "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."

That is not the language of a manager shutting a conversation down. It reads more like a door being left ajar, a suggestion that if Minteh continues to impress and Brighton's season goes well, the club may be more open to a sale in January than they were across the summer. For Iraola, who has been working without the wide attacker he clearly wanted, those words will provide genuine encouragement heading into the winter window.

Whether Brighton's asking price softens, or whether Liverpool are willing to go beyond their previous £60million ceiling, remains to be seen. But the dialogue, however indirect, is clearly still alive.

The N'Guessan deal is done

Amidst all the noise around Minteh and the chaos of deadline day, Liverpool quietly got a piece of positive business over the line. The club have officially confirmed the signing of Djylian N'Guessan from Saint-Etienne, an 18-year-old French forward joining in a permanent deal worth £4.3million.

The teenager will complete his move in January, with a loan to Ligue 1 side Stade Brestois to follow for the 2026/27 campaign. It is a long-term project signing, the kind that Liverpool's recruitment has been built on in recent years. N'Guessan has made 13 appearances for Saint-Etienne, scoring once, and caught the eye on the international stage too, representing France seven times as they reached fourth place at last year's U20 World Cup.

This is not the headline arrival supporters were desperate for this summer, but it speaks to the club's continued commitment to identifying talent early. Whether N'Guessan ultimately develops into a first-team player at Anfield is a question for another day, the foundation, though, is being laid.

January cannot come quickly enough

With N'Guessan confirmed and Minteh still very much in the conversation, Liverpool's January window is already shaping up to be one worth watching closely. Iraola arrives at it with unfinished business and, if Hurzeler's words are anything to go by, at least one key target who may finally be attainable.