Yankuba Minteh Left Out of Brighton Squad for Newcastle Return Amid Transfer Backstory
Yankuba Minteh was notably absent from Brighton & Hove Albion’s lineup for their 1-0 victory against Newcastle United on Saturday, marking his first return to St James’ Park since the Magpies sold him to comply with Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR). The sale was a crucial move to avoid a potential points deduction for the club.
The 20-year-old winger, who joined Brighton from Newcastle for £33 million in June, had previously made headlines for scoring in Brighton’s thrilling 3-2 comeback win over Tottenham Hotspur just before the international break. During that break, Minteh represented Gambia in two matches against Madagascar, scoring a dramatic stoppage-time equalizer in the first encounter but was substituted in the 1-0 victory in the second.
Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler explained Minteh’s absence during the post-match conference, citing the player’s travel-related fatigue and a minor injury: “We had to deal with some issues with him coming back from long travel with Gambia with a small issue. We have a responsibility to take care of the players and ensure their availability.”
Despite never having made a first-team appearance for Newcastle, the club managed to secure a £26 million profit on Minteh, who had spent the previous season on loan at Feyenoord after signing from Danish side Odense Boldklub last year.
Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe addressed the circumstances surrounding Minteh’s transfer, stating, “In my opinion, it was absolutely the right thing to do but it still hurts to have done it. We had no other option… We couldn’t breach PSR and face a points deduction.” He acknowledged the potential of both Minteh and Elliot Anderson, noting, “We didn’t want to sell Yankuba at all, but we had to make a decision based on finances.”
As Brighton celebrated their hard-fought win, Newcastle will be looking to bounce back in their upcoming matches, still feeling the impact of their decision to part ways with a promising talent like Minteh.
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