SCOUTING REPORT ON EVERTON TARGET AND SENEGAL INTERNATIONAL FORWARD ILIMAN NDIAYE
The latest young player to be linked with Everton is Newcastle United’s Yankuba Minteh who turns 20 in late July. The Gambian international who has 6 caps and 3 goals for his country has burst onto the scene and is being linked with a move away from Newcastle in order for the Magpies to meet PSR regulations. It is hard to understand how oil-rich Newcastle is going to sell a player to Everton who have had two point deductions last season for their own PSR breeches, but... I digress.
Profile & Background
Minteh was born in Gambia and started his career at Steve Biko FC. He was given the opportunity to make a move to Denmark in 2022. Newcastle signed the youngster from Danish side Odense in 2023 for just £6.75M before sending him out on loan to Feyenoord for the whole of last season.
In a recent interview, Minteh discussed his future:
‘Ultimately, the Premier League is my goal. Newcastle United is the club that have a lot of confidence in me. I have no idea what the future looks like. I was in Newcastle once, when they played against Borussia Dortmund. I will hear soon what plans the club has for me. I’m still young, I have time, maybe they want to loan me out again.”
Analysis
Minteh has had a hugely impressive season in the Dutch Eredivisie with Feyenoord. He was involved in 27 games and started 17. Impressively he scored 10 goals and 5 assists in just under 1,500 minutes. He ended the season with an average of 54 minutes per game.
The young Gambian ranked in the 99th percentile in a host of categories for wingers playing outside of Europe’s top five leagues, including non-penalty goals, progressive carries, successful take-ons, touches in the attacking penalty area, and progressive passes received.
Minteh can play across the front line and has his greatest success on the right side. Flexibility seems to be another characteristic that Thelwell is looking for in the players that he is tracking. The dynamism of Minteh would be an area that Everton want to help improve their attack.
Current Contract
Transfer Market has Minteh valued at £13.5M which is double what Newcastle paid for him one year ago. He had signed a five year contract and his salary this past season was £223,755. A move to the Everton would include a significant increase in salary but he would still be closer to the bottom of the team list of salaries.
Potential of Transfer
Chances of it happening: 75%
Do I want it to happen: 85%
Do we need it to happen: 75%
Newcastle had rekindled their interest in long-term target Dominic Calvert-Lewin and this has all the hallmarks of another situation where Everton effectively trade one player for another. The arrival of Tim Iroegbunam from Aston Villa has happened at the same time that Lewis Dobbin has headed to the Villans.
A number of sides this summer are skirting draconian PSR regulations with similar player swaps. For the Blues though, Director of Football Kevin Thelwell is effectively refreshing the squad at the same time that he lowers the wage bill and the age of the side. Calvert-Lewin is being valued at £35m-rated and makes £5,200,000 gross per year whereas Yankuba Minteh is valued at £30m and makes £223,755 gross per year.
The other interesting link is the fact that Minteh is also being looked at by Roma who is also owned by Dan Friedkin. Roma played two matches against Feyenoord in the Champions League and were very impressed with the young winger. There is speculation that Everton could pick up Minteh and then loan him to Roma or vice versa which might be how things work as Friedkin adds Everton to his multi team model.
When Newcastle signed Minteh, he was immediately loaned out and it was announced by the Magpies that the loan was happening because it was “due to some work permit regulations.” Do these issues still apply and if so, would that complicate things further for Everton?
There seem to be many moving pieces in this potential move which just seems too complicated for it to get done. Minteh has so much potential and a move to the Premier League would be another step up but we have seen Jarrad Branthwaite do a similar loan in Holland and then light up the sky in England. Could this be another Thelwell masterclass?
Today, Minteh’s agent, Bakary Bojang, reported that the player had agreed personal details with an unnamed club.
“It is correct that Newcastle are willing to sell the player if they receive a good offer. From our side if Newcastle wants to sell and the sporting project is good we will definitely look at it. We are in communication with some clubs… I can’t confirm clubs who are in communication with us. We have agreed terms with one of the clubs. So now the rest is with Newcastle.”
Is that club Everton? We will find out in short order.
