After Yankuba Minteh’s standout performance of the season in Sunday’s 6-0 win over Ajax, the hype on social media reached an all time high for the Newcastle United loanee.
The 19-year-old Gambian looks a huge talent and one Eddie Howe will take a close look at over pre-season, but I’ve been keen to hear some views from Rotterdam on the teenage sensation.
We reached out to Dutch player analyst and avid Feyenoord fan Melvin Dupper (@DupperMelvin), who had this to say during our chat on Minteh; an exciting talent with massive potential and plenty to learn.
Q1) After 10 goals, four assists and that stunning display against Ajax, there’s a lot of hype around Minteh right now. What do you feel are his greatest strengths as a player?
“There is definitely a lot of hype surrounding Minteh. And this hype has only grown more and more in recent weeks. Minteh’s greatest qualities are definitely his 1v1 abilities, unpredictability and incredible acceleration/top speed. Minteh seems to play every match impulsively and with great confidence. And in that way, he flies past oppositions full-backs every week. With him also adding goals and assists to his game recently, he has become of great value for Feyenoord.”
Q2) At 19-years-old I’m sure he still has lots to learn. What do you feel are his current weaknesses and key areas for improvement?
“There are definitely some areas to improve in Minteh’s game. One being his decision making in the final third. Especially at the beginning of the season, he did not make smart decisions in and around the box. This sometimes led to frustration among the stadium crowd and his fellow players. He also needs a lot of coaching from the sidelines and teammates on tactical and defensive matters. But it must be said that, especially in the last few weeks, he seems to be developing this at lightning speed.”
Q3) Do you think he needs another loan move or is he ready to play in the Premier League for Newcastle next season?
“I wonder if Minteh’s level is currently high enough for the Premier League. I would say at the moment he could be very useful as a substitute for Newcastle United, but does not yet have the level to start on a weekly basis. Given his young age, I therefore think it would be wise to loan him out for another year to a team that plays him on a weekly basis. Preferably for a team that likes to dominate the ball and play at a high-intensity, much Newcastle United.
“I think another year at Feyenoord would be a very good thing for Newcastle, Minteh and Feyenoord. Especially given the fact Feyenoord will almost certainly play Champions League football again next season. I think it would be a nice challenge for him to test himself in all those games.”
Q4) What has his attitude been like? Eddie Howe often puts huge importance on good characters who are willing to learn and work hard for the team.
“Based on footage from Feyenoord’s media team, Minteh seems to fit in well with the group. While there were some stories from his time in Denmark that could question his mentality, there is no signal that this is a problem at Feyenoord. On the pitch, he is an incredibly hard worker in the intensive style of play that Feyenoord employ.”
Q5) If you had to compare him to one current Premier League player, who would it be and why?
“I must say I haven’t seen a lot of Premier League games this season. But purely based on style of play, I would compare Minteh to Jeremy Doku at Man City.
“Of course they aren’t at the same level right now, but both players look to take on their man and have lightning pace. They are able to pass from a standstill, are very explosive and very unpredictable. Who knows, maybe Minteh has it in him to reach that level one day!”
A big thanks to Melvin for sharing his time and speaking to us about Minteh’s performances this season. It sounds like we have a huge talent and hard worker on our hands.
Watched most feyenoord games this season and your reviewer is mostly spot on.Definitely the last few weeks has become more of a team player linking up and passing at the right time.
Mark Douglas(Quote)
Interesting, cheers Mark. I get the feeling he’s a quick learner and could fit really nicely into Howe’s style, considering his pace, energy and ability to improve.
Question is, do we feel he’s ready to play a part next season (likely from the bench?) or would he be best served having another year of regular minutes elsewhere! I think we’ll opt for the latter.
Olly Hawkins(Quote)