Newcastle

4 changes? – Predicted Newcastle team to face Blackburn tonight

Published

7 months ago

February 27, 2024

Eddie Howe is set to take a much closer look at exciting teenager Yankuba Minteh in pre-season after his impressive form in Holland.

Minteh €8million signing from Odense BK last summer was immediately sent to Feyenoord on loan last June to gain first-team experience in one of Europe’s more competitive leagues. And he did not take much time to settle as he netted four goals in the first half of his loan switch with the Rotterdam club.

As injuries cut in at Newcastle, Howe enquired to his backroom team whether Minteh could be recalled for the second half of the current campaign at St James’ Park. Howe said back in January: “There’s no clause (to recall him), so that’s a difficult situation for us. We’ll assess all options regarding that one.”

But the Gambia international will be Newcastle’s player again come June and Howe will assess the right winger’s progress in pre-season. Howe has always made it clear that the door is open for youngsters to make their mark in pre-season and this was underlined emphatically when he took 17-year-old Lewis Miley to America for pre-season and afforded him his chance before using him in the first-team this term.

Minteh can offer Newcastle a goal threat, with six strikes for Feyenoord already, and blistering pace out wide but he would also bring fresh impetus to United’s attack. Minteh scored two in Feyenoord’s 2-0 away win against Almere City on Sunday.

Minteh came off the bench and struck within 11 minutes to hand his team the lead before a spectacular curling strike beat the keeper from the edge of the box. Minteh must now help Feyenoord to a strong finish in the Dutch League, with the Rotterdam side sitting second, before returning to Tyneside.

Both loan managers Shola Ameobi and Peter Ramage have taken a long look at Minteh and have filed favourable reports about the exciting teenager. Despite some mild criticism from Feyenoord boss Arne Slot, who said he was an unfinished article, Howe is keen to work with the player himself and get him back within the four walls of Benton.

Slot had said: “They, just like us, see a lot of talent in him. But it [his developing talent] is not ‘finished’ yet. I think that is also the reason why Newcastle loaned him to us!

“That is the place we currently occupy in the football pyramid. If he had such an overview of the ball to give every cross, he would have stayed at Newcastle.”

Since then though Minteh has hit back with a double strike against Almere and is on course to finish the season with double figures.