Newcastle United new boy Yankuba Minteh is already impressing with Dutch champions Feyenoord. The Gambian winger signed for the Magpies before heading out on loan to join the Eredivisie outfit on a season-long loan.
Minteh scored a penalty on his pre-season debut against PEC Zwolle and could play in the Champions League next season. Feyenoord fan favourite Ahmed El Ahmadi is convinced his former side have unearthed another gem ahead of next season.
“He should not take free kicks anymore! But he is a good player,” El Ahmadi told ESPN, jpking that the winger had been wayward with his set-pieces in pre-season.
“I thought he was just very fast. But he is also very good on the ball. He makes an eager impression on me, and carries a lot of threat.”
Newcastle United players take to the field at Gateshead
The Gambian winger made eight goal contributions in his final 17 games for Danish Superliga side Odense. It’s that sparkling form that saw Newcastle come calling and then send him out on loan for the next stage of his development.
Arne Slot’s side won the Eredivisie title last season with Orkun Kokcu, Santiago Gimenez and David Hancko all shining under the Feyenoord boss in recent seasons. The Magpies and Eddie Howe view the Dutch side as an ideal club for Minteh to kick on and fulfil the potential highlighted by Odense’s head of academy Tonny Hermansen.
“(Minteh’s development) is fantastic,” Hermansen told Tipsbladet. “That’s the crazy thing about football. We’re talking about an 18-year-old who comes up and becomes a crowd favourite.
“He has some extraordinary qualities such as his speed. He catches the eye because something happens when he has the ball. At the same time, he has got something defensive in his game without taking the offensiveness away from him.
“Therefore, he is a player with huge potential.”
Minteh has featured for Feyenoord in the draw with Villareal and win over Benfica.