Newcastle United loan ace makes return - set to play in Champions League this week

Newcastle United winger Yankuba Minteh made his return from injury at the weekend.

The Gambian ace joined the Magpies from Danish side Odense in the summer for £7million before being immediately loaned to Dutch champions Feyenoord for the 2023-24 season.

Minteh, 19, had started well in the Netherlands by scoring three goals and registering one assist, however his progress was halted because of a hamstring injury.

It forced him to miss five matches between October & November and in that time visited Newcastle's training ground to be assessed by the United medics.

Minteh made his return as a 60th-minute substitute during Feyenoord's 4-2 victory at Excelsior Rotterdam on Saturday. The winger is now set to be involved in the Eredivisie outfit's Champions League fixture at home to Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe confirmed earlier this month that there is an option to recall Minteh in January amid the never-ending injury crisis.

United were without 13 senior players for Saturday's win at home to Chelsea with attacking options such as Callum Wilson, Jacob Murphy, Elliot Anderson, Harvey Barnes and Joe Willock included in that list..

“We’ll look at our players that are out on loan, with a view to whether they could potentially strengthen us," Howe said. "If it’s good for their career as well, then we’ll certainly look at what we can do.

“He’s [Minteh] done very well, although unfortunately he’s injured at the moment. He’s come back for an assessment on that injury because we need to check and see how he is.

“We need to work out how serious the injury is and when he’ll be back, and then we’ll make a decision on him, like we would with all our loan players.”

Howe added: “I think his loan spell has been a productive one," Howe added. "He’s scored goals and been part of a successful team.

"He’s certainly got talent, although the Premier League is a very different league to any other league in Europe.

“That doesn’t mean that players can’t come in or out of the Premier League. He’s someone we like, and he’s certainly got the athletic profile that we need."