Yankuba Minteh, what is your problem? Nasty swipe fired at Newcastle United
Yankuba Minteh has admitted to wanting to prove Newcastle United wrong every time he competes against Eddie Howe’s team.
Predictably, the winger fired Brighton in front on 28 minutes after making Tino Livramento and Sandro Tonali look foolish. A bizarre celebration followed where Minteh appeared to say thank you to Newcastle fans before erupting in a fit of rage and declaring his love for the Seagulls.
There was much confusion among Toon quarters on social media as to the meaning behind Minteh’s outburst. The 20-year-old infamously never kicked a ball as a Newcastle player before being sold for a £26million profit last summer.
A looming PSR deadline sent the St James’ Park hierarchy into panic as the Magpies were in danger of breaching the financial restrictions. Something had to give - and Newcastle sold two of their most promising young players in Minteh and Elliot Anderson.
Minteh had enjoyed a fine season on loan at Feyenoord and fans were excited about him joining Howe’s ranks. However, the Gambian international never got the chance to showcase his potential in black-and-white stripes.
Two goals against Newcastle this season have given Toon supporters a glimpse of what could have been if PSR restrictions did not exist. Speaking after his left-footed strike yesterday, the forward suggested he tries harder against the Magpies more than other teams.
“It's a nice celebration because they were my former team before but now I'm in Brighton and that's where my focus is,” Minteh said (via The Chronicle) when explaining his bizarre celebration. “So I try to celebrate for them (Brighton) and make them happy.
“I was happy with the goal because this is what I dream of every time. If I don’t score in a game, to make a pass. It’s an amazing feeling. Everybody wants to prove the team which sells them (wrong) and I try to do that every time I play against them. I am happy about it.”
Yankuba Minteh comments are U-turn on previous Newcastle United remarks
Minteh appears to have backtracked on his previous comments made about his Newcastle exit. Speaking earlier this year, he told The Athletic: “I didn’t know anything about that because I’d never heard of it - that thing, ‘PFA’, or something like that. I just heard from my agent that they wanted to sell me.
“I said, ‘Ok, if they want to sell me, then it’s fine'. I can go to another club and try. I know other clubs are interested in me, so if I don’t play there, then it’s an opportunity to play for another team. I wasn’t sad or anything like that.
“All I was doing in the Netherlands was trying to show I could play in the Premier League, because that is all I want. It doesn’t matter if it is Newcastle, Bournemouth or Brighton, but, after finding myself in Brighton, I have fallen in love with the club now. I am settled here and I am good here now.
“I don’t have anything against Newcastle. This is how football works. You go to this team, you think you are going to stay there for the rest of your life. Another team wants you, you move to another team.”