By Will Murray
Yankuba Minteh was hot property this summer. Some of Europe’s top clubs were very interested in the 20-year-old talent, but Newcastle United were desperate to sell him. The Magpies were forced to wave off Minteh to comply with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR) ahead of the end of the financial year on 30th June.
A stellar season while on loan at Feyenoord in the Eredivisie last term, where he scored 10 goals and registered six assists, meant that Minteh was targeted by a swollen glut of elite teams, including Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund. Brighton eventually won the race for The Gambia international.
Newcastle secured £30m for a player who never made a single appearance in black-and-white stripes, easing concerns over PSR compliance, but that sum could soon look like a bargain for Brighton. Minteh made a rapid start to his career on the south coast, enjoying a successful pre-season and playing a key role in the club’s 3-0 opening-day victory against Everton at Goodison Park. Here is a guide to the coveted 20-year-old as he looks to establish himself as an elite Premier League winger.
Career so far
Only joined Newcastle in 2023
Minteh began his football career at the Bakoteh United Football Academy, where every age group was mixed into one team. He impressed within this unorthodox setup, helping to secure a contract for Steve Biko FC in the Gambian second division at the time. Following his spell just outside the capital of Banjul, Minteh was given a trial at Danish club Odense Boldklub. In the trial, the young forward was given numerous chances, surprising scouts with his blistering pace and sharp movement in attacking areas. Although his finishing left a lot to be desired, he was afforded the opportunity to play for the under-19s at OB to reach his potential and iron out the inconsistencies in his game.
At the start of the 2022/23 season, Minteh was promoted to the first team at OB, scoring the winner on his debut against Copenhagen on 10th September. This earned the Gambian forward a professional contract with the Danish club, creating admirers from across Europe as he scored six goals and registered seven assists in his first full senior campaign. At the end of the season, Minteh was offered deals from Brighton & Hove Albion, RB Leipzig, Udinese and many more. He decided on Premier League side Newcastle, who bought the youngster for over £6.5m, which is the highest fee obtained by OB in the club’s history.
When Newcastle announced the signing of Minteh, he was sent on loan immediately to Feyenoord for the 2023/24 campaign. Under the management of new Liverpool head coach Arne Slot, the 20-year-old scored 11 goals and registered six assists in all competitions. This included a goal against Celtic in the group stage of the Champions League. Minteh returned to Newcastle after his successful loan spell at Feyenoord, but was sold in June 2024 to Brighton, who have secured the Gambian’s services for the next five years.
Preferred position
Versatile left-footed forward
Minteh is predominantly a right-winger but can also play on the left or in a central position. In his breakthrough season for OB, the Gambian played on the right wing on 15 occasions, scoring three and registering six assists. However, he also played four times on the opposite wing and as a number 10, where he managed three goal contributions.
Under Slot, Minteh played over 80% of the season as a right-winger. He was used as a centre-forward four times, scoring once, but his main position is out wide due to his raw pace and dribbling ability. At Brighton, Minteh has seamlessly slotted into the right-wing berth which has not been adequately filled since Solly March was struck down with an ACL injury in October 2023.
Style of play
Direct dribbler
Due to his position as a right-winger, Minteh looks to stand up defenders and bring the ball onto his favoured left foot to produce a shot or create a chance for his teammates. He is an adept dribbler, though, meaning he can also take defenders down the line with his right foot using his blistering pace. His quick change of direction in the attacking third, coupled with his direct style, means he is hard to contain.
The 20-year-old’s finishing also improved over the course of last season, with a lot of his goals coming from a composed left-footed strike into the bottom corner. Mixing Minteh’s pace with his creative ability and calm finishing means that he is a constant threat to any team that comes up against him. His ball-carrying skill was exemplified by the fact that only two Eredivisie players with more than a handful of minutes averaged more successful take-ons than Minteh last term, per FBref.
Out of possession, the Gambian winger is also extremely effective. His ability to press high and recover the ball deep in the opposition half are key strengths of his game. Given the modern demands on attacking players in the Premier League to be dynamic on and off the ball, Minteh fits the profile. Last season, the on-loan Newcastle forward ranked at the top of the Eredivisie for tackles won in the attacking third for players that featured in at least five 90-minute matches, as per Total Football Analysis. Following a game early in the 2023/24 season, Slot said:
“He [Minteh] certainly doesn’t lack self-confidence. His willingness to give everything is enormous. When we see his statistics, it is really impressive. He runs more sprint metres in an hour than many other boys do in two games. He is incredibly fast and he wants it so badly.”
The fight for Minteh’s signature
Brighton won the race
Due to Newcastle’s precarious PSR position ahead of 30th June, Minteh was identified as one of the players to make way, a year after buying the Gambian for just over £6m. Figures of around £40m were originally touted as the fee that the Premier League club would demand for Minteh, but his price tag was dropped to £30m, which still represented a significant profit.
Newcastle’s supporters would have expected the 20-year-old to be one of the starlets to emerge during the club’s pre-season ahead of the upcoming campaign. In fact, following Feyenoord’s Dutch Cup victory in April 2024, Howe said:
“I have been keeping a very close eye on him. That would have been a great day for him despite the sending off. I think he has done really well and attacked the challenge of going alone, new league, new teammates and has played in the Champions League. I think he has done really well this year and he can be proud of his efforts. I have tended not to communicate, I think you are better off letting the players focus and not give them too many distractions. Let’s wait and see what happens in his next step.”
On 24th June, it was widely reported that Minteh was on his way to Goodison Park after his agent, Bakary Bojang, confirmed that he had agreed terms with a club. It also looked as if Dominic Calvert-Lewin was on his way to Newcastle in a £40m move only for both deals to collapse later that day, as per Sky Sports News.
With the switch to Everton off the table, and a reunion with Slot at Liverpool also looking unlikely, Newcastle explored other clubs to offload the talented Gambian winger. In the early hours of the first morning of July, Minteh was announced as a Brighton player, signing a contract until June 2029. Since then, he has continued to improve under 31-year-old manager Fabian Hurzeler. He scored twice in four pre-season matches, starting in every game before registering an assist in his first Premier League outing, as the Seagulls were 3-0 winners away at Everton. Speaking on Monday Night Football about the potential of Minteh, Jamie Carragher gushed:
“I read a lot about him over the summer, or towards the end of last season about him coming back to Newcastle. They obviously moved him on because of the financial situation.
“When I look at what Newcastle have got on that right-hand side – Jacob Murphy has done a great job over the last few years, Almiron is a player I think they were trying to move on to the MLS, so I don’t know whether he’ll stay or not.
“But that lad [Minteh], certainly what I saw in little bits and in highlights last season, and what he did against Everton at the weekend – I think that is one that Newcastle are going to really rue in years to come. He looks the real deal”/
Key takeaways
? Yankuba Minteh is a versatile and exciting right-winger with significant potential.
? An impressive season on loan at Feyenoord made the teenager a target for numerous European clubs during the summer of 2024.
? Minteh was sold to Brighton & Hove Albion as Newcastle tried to comply with the Premier League’s PSR rules ahead of the 30th June deadline.
