Yankuba Minteh made a blistering start to the season despite the teenage winger forward still not turning 20 until July 2024.
Newcastle United paid Odense a club record fee for the services of Yankuba Minteh, believed to be £8m guaranteed and then future cash if hitting certain targets.
Eddie Howe and Newcastle United fought off interest from numerous other clubs to land the exciting young talent and he is currently spending a year at Dutch champions and Champions League competitors, Feyenoord, in order to get valuable first team football at a decent level.
Just over two months into the season and Yankuba Minteh has already got one assist and scored four goals for club and country.
However, that blistering start has now come to a shuddering halt.
On Saturday, Yankuba Minteh helped Feyenoord to a dominant 3-0 lead over Vitesse before getting subbed on 74 minutes, the reigning Dutch champions eventually winning 4-0.
However, Feyenoord have now revealed that the Newcastle United loan star has picked up a muscle injury and will miss Wednesday night’s Champions League home game against Lazio and indeed, won’t be seen again until after the November international break, at the earliest.
Feyenoord boss Arne Slot speaking earlier this month about Yankuba Minteh and his impact already this season – 2 October 2023 said:
“Our scouts were also impressed by his year at Odense.Then (Feyenoord General Manager) Dennis te Kloese came to the technical staff. Minteh went to Newcastle United and the English were looking for a club to loan him to. That’s how he came to us. He certainly doesn’t lack self-confidence. His willingness to give everything is enormous.When we see his statistics, it is really impressive. Minteh runs more sprint metres against Ajax in an hour (in the recent 4-0 Feyenoord win) than many other boys do in two games.He is incredibly fast. And he wants it so badly.For the remainder against Ajax we substituted him for Ramiz Zerrouki. He immediately accepts that.He recently shot Gambia (Yankuba Minteh scoring a vital goal in the final group game on his international debut) to a ticket for the Africa Cup next winter.Newcastle United has not made any requirements regarding minimum playing time or anything like that.”
