Newcastle United retain the option of negotiating a recall with Feyenoord for on-loan youngster Yankuba Minteh this January. The speedy winger could give the faltering Magpies a much-needed shot in the arm after Eddie Howe conceded that permanent signings will be unlikely before the end of the month due to Financial Fair Play restrictions.
Newcastle posted an eye-watering £73million loss for the 2022/23 season, leaving them with little room to manoeuvre in the transfer market and even bringing about the possibility of selling a star player in the summer.
“We’re not shutting the door on everything,” said Howe on Friday as he painted a bleak picture of his side’s transfer prospects. “But certainly as I sit here now, we’re not going to bring anyone in. But that may change as the window unfolds.
“I think there’s a lot of value [in loans]. Whether it is value that we can utilise is something totally different. I’m not sure there’s many clubs out there that are willing to help us currently.”
Key players Nick Pope, Joe Willock, Sven Botman, Harvey Barnes and Callum Wilson have all spent considerable time out injured this season, Joelinton has just been ruled out for the next six weeks and Sandro Tonali is serving a long-term suspension.
Late last year, Howe was asked about the possibility of recalling Minteh from a loan spell at Dutch side Feyenoord as a means of easing the pressure on his thinly-stretched squad.
With five goal contributions in just over 500 minutes of league action, as well as an equaliser at Celtic in the Champions League last month, 19-year-old Minteh has taken the challenge in his stride.
A possible recall to St James’ Park would have to wait until Gambia’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign comes to an end, but having never played for Newcastle before, his prospective arrival could have the impact of a brand new signing.
