Where next for Yankuba Minteh after brilliant Dutch season?
After impressing on loan at Feyenoord in 2023/24, it's yet to be seen if Yankuba Minteh will stay with Newcastle United or move again this summer.
Few players caught the eye as much as Yankuba Minteh last season whilst out on loan at Feyenoord in the Eredivisie.
After immediately joining the Dutch giants on loan following his move to Tyneside from Danish side OB last summer, the amount of playing time he’d receive was a bit of an unknown at first but from the get go, his impact was clear.
Recording 10 goals and five assists through his 27 league appearances, the Gambian international continually dominated his opposition down the right flank and such was his level of performance throughout, some of the biggest clubs in Europe now lurk, looking to grab his signature during this upcoming transfer window.
With the help of Opta, here’s a quick look as to why that’s the case and where Minteh excelled in the Eredivisie.
As mentioned previously, Minteh delivered in front of goal last season, recording 15 direct goal contributions for Feyenoord as they finished second in the Eredivisie behind rivals PSV. In fact, at an average of 0.92 contributions per 90, only eight players in the competition who played 20+ games held a stronger figure such was the 19-year-old’s quick adaptation to a higher level of football.
In essence his direct output is built on two solid foundations for a winger; pace and agility. That can be fully highlighted as no player clocked a faster top speed in the Dutch top-flight last season (34.9 km/h), whilst his highlight reel from last season emphasises Minteh as a player who enjoys dribbling past defenders when the chance arises.
Put two and two together and the 19-year-old additionally topped the charts for goal-ending carries, netting four such strikes throughout the campaign despite playing substantially less than some other forwards in the division. Only striker Ricardo Pepi averaged more touches in the opposition’s box too (11.39) such was Minteh’s ability to move into the back post area when needed.
Elsewhere, his speed additionally underpinned his rank as the player with the second-most ball recoveries in the final third per 90 (1.42), as his pressing qualities helped Feyenoord to influence the play at the business end of the field.
Last season also saw him rank extremely highly amongst all forwards with over 20 league appearances made in the competition for tackles attempted (2.83) and overall duels won (8.25) per 90, emphasising him as a player who’s content at tracking back to help out his full-back when needed.
All that considered, it seems like a no brainer that Minteh would be front and centre for Eddie Howe’s plans next season at Newcastle United then wouldn’t it? Well potentially, he might not even have the opportunity to make that call.
That’s because at the time of writing this article, ex-Feyenoord and new Liverpool boss Arne Slot has reportedly made the Gambian wonderkid one of his top transfer targets this summer at Anfield. To make matters worse for the Magpies, German duo Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig are also said to have tabled loan offers in an attempt to snatch away the 19-year-old star from St James Park.
It’s extremely likely that Newcastle wouldn’t entertain such a loan offer and for good reason, but instead, if a hefty sum of money is to be plonked down in front of the board over the next month, Yankuba Minteh could very well be moving on to pastures new given the club’s reported FFP problems at present.