Despite spending over £125m during the summer transfer window, Newcastle United failed to sign any new players in January due to concerns over their FFP.
Newcastle's chief executive Darren Eales suggested earlier this year that the club must sell players before making any major signings, with the club on the limit of the Premier League's FFP rules.
Players such as Sandro Tonali and Harvey Barnes joined the Magpies during the summer, as the board looked to back manager Eddie Howe as they entered their first Champions League campaign in 20 years.
Howe's side failed to qualify for the knockout stages of the competition and have struggled in the Premier League due to injuries to key players throughout the campaign. Joelinton and Sven Botman have both had extended spells on the sidelines with injuries – with the club's Premier League performance suffering as a result.
The focus will now likely be on improving the club's fortunes next season, with the return of one exciting loanee potentially set to bolster a forward line that already includes club-record capture, Alexander Isak.
Newcastle may have a dream Isak partner
Yankuba Minteh joined the club for around £5.8m on July 1st 2023 from Danish side Odense BK, before immediately joining Feyenoord on loan for the rest of the 2023/24 campaign.
The 19-year-old, who is "frightening for defenders" – according to journalist Antonio Mango – has a big future ahead of him after impressing in Denmark, prior to his move to Tyneside earlier this year.
The Gambian winger may only have featured 17 times for Odense, but it didn't take him long to make an immediate impact on their first team despite his tender age.
In what was his first season as a professional footballer, the youngster scored four times and assisted six times for his teammates in a campaign that saw Odense finish ninth in the Danish Superliga.
The winger has continued his brilliant form from last season during his current loan spell in the Netherlands under the guidance of talented manager, Arne Slot.
Yankuba Minteh's stats this season
The teenage whiz has scored three times in his 16 appearances in the Eredivisie, as he looks to gain experience ahead of a potential first-team spot for Newcastle next season.
His goal contributions this season may not seem overly impressive, but when delving into his stats per 90 this season, the youngster has excelled in a season of development. The forward averages 9.6 progressive carries per game – a figure that ranks him within the top 1% of players in the Eredivisie.
Minteh has been a real threat for Feyenoord this season, completing 4.7 successful take-ons per 90 and averaging 10.5 touches per game in the opposition's 18-yard box.
It's not just in attacking areas where young Minteh excels, he also ranks highly defensively – averaging 2.7 tackles per 90 – a remarkable figure for an attacker, but also a player of his young age.
Although the youngster is yet to make an appearance for Newcastle, his loan spell at Feyenoord is proving that he has huge potential to be a hit at St James' Park, potentially forming an exciting long-term partnership with Isak in the forward line.
In The Pipeline
Football FanCast's In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.
The latter man has endured his fair share of injury woes since arriving in England, although the towering Swede does still boast 14 goals in just 25 games in all competitions thus far, indicating just what a clinical talent he is.
With Minteh – who has recorded two assists and created three 'big chances' in Holland in 2023/24 – able to supply quality service to the former Real Sociedad man, it could prove to be a mouthwatering pairing indeed.
