Why Minteh's wing wizardry will be deadly against tiring defences

Adrian Clarke analyses the key summer signings and the impact they could make at their new clubs in the Premier League this season.

Player analysis - Yankuba Minteh (Brighton)

Newcastle United will be pleased to have made a profit on Minteh just one year after signing him from Danish club Odense, but it feels as if Brighton & Hove Albion could be the real winners moving forward.

The 20-year-old winger has joined the Seagulls on a five-year contract after delivering a quite superb campaign on loan with Feyenoord last season.

Minteh was the most exciting emerging talent in Dutch football throughout 2023/24, standing out with his confident dribbling and eye for goal - both domestically and in the UEFA Champions League.

He has quickly made an impact for Brighton in pre-season, scoring in both of the Seagulls' warm-up matches so far, against Kashima Antlers and Tokyo Verdy in Japan.

Minteh's goal v Tokyo Verdy

Position: Right-sided winger

Solly March and Simon Adingra will provide Minteh with stiff opposition for game time on the right wing, but the latter’s rapid progress means he is sure to keep them on their toes.

The Gambian scored 10 goals and made five assists in only 27 appearances in Eredivisie last season.

With many of those outings coming from the bench, the pacy winger contributed to a goal every 97.5 minutes on average.

See: More key numbers from Minteh's career so far

His ability to transform matches as a second-half substitute will be of vital importance to new head coach Fabian Hurzeler.

Five of Minteh's goals and two of his assists in all competitions came in matches where he was brought off the bench.

His speed and desire to run with the ball could be a real weapon for Brighton late on, against tiring defences.

And at a price of just £5.5m in Fantasy Premier League, he could be a budget gem who helps FPL managers afford the most-expensive stars.

Style: Dazzling footwork

Minteh loves to take on defenders, so look out for some mazy dribbles across 2024/25.

He was especially positive on the Champions League stage. In just 198 minutes of action in that competition last season, he attempted 22 take-ons, the most of any Feyenoord player.

Minteh only succeeded with 11 of those dribbles, so at times he will squander possession by trying to be positive, but he is a wide man who can thrill the supporters.

No one in Eredivisie produced goal-creating actions at a faster rate than Minteh, who also topped the rankings for carrying the ball into the opponents’ penalty area.

Minteh’s stats in Eredivisie 23/24

Eye-catching trait: Ice-cool finishing

Brighton have recruited a player who is calm when the ball falls to his feet inside the area, where he manoeuvres it beautifully to create enough space for a shot on goal.

In Dutch football’s top flight, Minteh was a revelation when cutting inside onto his stronger left foot, bending a number of delightful curling shots into the far corner, just like the one he scored in Brighton's latest pre-season match against Tokyo Verdy.

He is more accomplished and varied with his finishing on that left foot, but when an instinctive effort with his right is required, he has shown he can convert chances that way too.

Minteh’s best moments usually came late on in matches for Feyenoord, with seven of his 11 strikes arriving after half-time.

Minteh goals in Eredevisie/Champions League 23/24

How does he fit in?

If Hurzeler opts to use the 3-4-3 formation that worked so well for him at previous club St Pauli, Minteh will almost certainly play wide-right up front.

This shape, with a wing-back sometimes playing outside him, should suit his desire to slide inside to become a "second striker".

Several of his goals for Feyenoord came from the centre of the box - an area where he pops up regularly.

Minteh's goal v Kashima Antlers

In the build-up phase, Minteh will want to stretch play as often as he can so that there is room to take on opposing full-backs 1v1.

In these situations, look out for Brighton’s wing-back occasionally underlapping him to make hay in those half-space pockets on the inside.

The season ahead

Minteh may have to be patient before earning a regular place in Brighton’s starting XI.

March and Adingra both have the benefit of Premier League experience, so in the early weeks the former Newcastle winger is likely to be an impact substitute.

But once he settles in, Minteh’s ceiling at Brighton looks to be very high indeed.

Having proved with Feyenoord that he can supply exciting individual moments AND quality end product, he should be viewed as a really promising acquisition.

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