‘Next Messi’ to save Newcastle millions, as future Howe favourite receives stunning praise
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe
Newcastle United have been told that they might have the ‘next Lionel Messi’ on their books, as a former national team boss has heaped praise on one of their young attackers.
Newcastle sit ninth in the Premier League, having won nine out of their 20 games so far. They are currently 11 points behind fourth-placed Arsenal and will be aiming to cut that gap over the next few weeks to give them a better chance at qualifying for either the Champions League or Europa League next term.
Eddie Howe’s side did well on their long-awaited return to the Champions League, competing against some of the best teams in Europe such as Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan. Ultimately, though, they could not advance from their group and finished bottom on five points.
While Newcastle were also knocked out of the League Cup by Chelsea, there is still a chance of them lifting some silverware. They will come up against Fulham in the fourth round of the FA Cup, having beaten rivals Sunderland 3-0 in the previous round on Saturday.
According to a rather worrying report from The Telegraph, Newcastle may be forced into selling one of their top stars in the future after reporting losses of £73million. But one way they can save money in the future is by trusting in some of their young prospects.
One player who has the potential to shine under Howe in the coming years is Yankuba Minteh. He is a 19-year-old attacker who likes to play as a right winger but can also operate on the left or as a central attacking midfielder if needed.
Minteh left his native Gambia in August 2022 by joining Odense BK’s U19 team in Denmark. He eventually forced his way into their first team, and this prompted Newcastle to spend £7m when signing him in July last year.
Minteh is spending the 2023-24 campaign on loan at Feyenoord and has impressed so far, notching four goals and two assists in 18 games. The teenager is also picking up international experience, having scored on his debut for Gambia in September.
Newcastle teenager ‘a potential star’
Italian coach Daniele Caleca, who recently left his role as Gambia’s manager, has now lauded the Newcastle starlet, even claiming that he is affectionally called ‘Messi’ in the African country.
“An interesting name I feel like mentioning, who is the youngest of those we have in the squad, is Yankuba Minteh, a striker who plays for Feyenoord but is owned by Newcastle,” Caleca said in an interview with Sport Italia.
“In Gambia they call him ‘Messi’ (laughs) because he is the classic contemporary winger, quick, jumping man. I hope for him that he continues on this path because in the last year he has grown a lot. He has the makings of a potential star.”
Howe will be delighted if Minteh continues his impressive form for club and country before returning to Newcastle as a much better player in the summer. The youngster could then be given an opportunity to impress Howe in Newcastle’s pre-season training before the start of the 2024-25 season.
If Minteh goes on to become a top winger in the Prem, then Newcastle’s decision to spend £7m on him when he was only 18 will be justified. And it will save the club millions on a right winger, too.
The wide man is currently away on international duty, having been selected in Gambia’s squad for the Africa Cup of Nations. Although, he has endured a horrific experience on his way to the tournament, as the oxygen supply failed on the team plane, reportedly putting everyone on board within half an hour of losing their lives.
