Newcastle target next Yankuba Minteh who has ‘huge potential’

In the summer of 2024, Newcastle United had to reluctantly take advantage of exciting young striker Yankuba Minteh to avoid any possibility of a break. Premier League profit and sustainability regulations.

The Gambia international was sold to Brighton & Hove Albion for a fee of £30million, apparently to avoid PSR problemsand the Magpies have had to keep an eye on him as he has carved out a decent career in England.

Since the start of last season, the left-footed striker has scored eight goals and provided nine assists for Brighton, according to Sofascore, proving he can make a difference in the top flight.

One of those goals was of course against Newcastle in May, as seen in the clip above, as the 21-year-old starlet stepped up and brilliantly curled a finish into the far corner.

Newcastle keeping tabs on EFL winger

18 months after losing such an exciting and direct young winger, the Magpies could finally have their own Minteh as they eye an EFL star.

According to TEAMtalkNewcastle United are among a number of teams expressing an interest in 20-year-old Watford striker Othmane Maamma.

The report claims the Magpies, Liverpool and Manchester United all sent scouts to watch the young winger in action as he started the Hornets’ 3-0 win over Birmingham City on Thursday.

He adds that Newcastle and other interested clubs have been eyeing Moroccan talent for some time and continue to keep an eye on his development at Vicarage Road.

TEAMtalk also reveals that it would be difficult for Watford to turn down any big-money offers for the youngster in the January transfer window, as they only paid £1million to sign him last summer.

Why Newcastle should sign Othmane Maamma

Newcastle must test the Championship side’s resolve by putting a big offer on the table for Maamma before the end of the window, as he could be their own version of Minteh on the wing.

The Gambian striker was never able to make a senior appearance for the club before his £30 million move to Brighton, meaning the Magpies were never able to take advantage of his exciting play on the flank.

They could, however, recruit Maamma to come straight into the first team, to provide Eddie Howe with another offensive threat to call upon in the second half of the campaign and beyond.

The 20-year-old talent, claimed by talent scout Jacek Kulig has “enormous potential”has scored three goals, including the stunning finish in the clip above, and provided one assist in ten league starts so far this season for the Hornets, according to Sofascore.

His statistics in the Second Division this season are remarkably similar to those that Minteh has produced for Brighton over the last 365 days, as shown in the table above. They both excel as scorers, creators and dribblers, which is why they are such exciting wingers.

What makes his form all the more impressive is that he had to participate in the U20 World Cup with Morocco in September and October, which disrupted his domestic season, and he attracted attention while on international duty.

As you can see in the table above, Maamma scored five goals in seven matches for Morocco, who won the U20 World Cup by beating Argentina 2-0 in the final.

The Moroccan winger, who was hailed as “magical” by U23 recruiter Antonio Mango, has the potential to become a winger capable of scoring and assisting goals on a regular basis, given his combined form for club and country this season, just as Minteh is for Brighton.

This is why the Magpies should be very keen to secure his services ahead of Liverpool and Manchester United, as he is an incredibly exciting young player who they should make a move for this month, before it is too late.

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