Winger left out of matchday squad ahead of six-figure Newcastle United transfer

Yankuba Minteh was left out of Odense Boldklub’s matchday squad against FC Midtjylland on Saturday afternoon ahead of his expected move to Newcastle United.

News first broke on Friday that the Magpies are close to making the Gambian winger their first summer signing in a transfer worth £6million.

As a result, the decision was then taken by Odense sporting director Bjorn Wesstrom to leave Minteh out versus Midtjylland. Odense lost 4-2.

Minteh is set to fly to Tyneside very soon to undergo his medical and put the finishing touches to his move.

The youngster admitted last month he was open to joining Eddie Howe’s Newcastle.

“Of course, I want to go to Newcastle,” Minteh said. “It’s a big club in the Premier League and they’re doing something good. They are fighting for a place in the Champions League. I am ready to take the next step, and it will only be good for me.”

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It’s likely the 18-year-old will take a similar developmental pathway to Garang Kuol. The Australian joined from A-League side Central Coast Mariners in January before going on loan to Hearts.

Minteh, whose current manager Andreas Alm handed Alexander Isak his debut at AIK in 2016, has enjoyed an impressive breakthrough into senior football having scored four goals and provided six assists this season.

The attacker also earned his first call up for Gambia for friendly matches against DR Congo and Liberia.

Indeed, Wesstrom, speaking earlier this year, revealed several clubs had enquired about Minteh. He said: “I have been in dialogue with a number of top clubs, but we don’t know how it will end.

“There are always many rumours about a player who has the stats he has, and that is positive. We must have recruited him well.”