Brighton & Hove Albion have made a splash in the transfer market by announcing the signing of teenage sensation Yankuba Minteh from Newcastle United.
The Seagulls have paid a club-record fee of around £33 million for the 19-year-old attacker surpassing their previous record of £30 million spent on Joao Pedro from Watford last summer.
What did Yankuba Minteh say after joining Brighton?
Yankuba Minteh has signed a five-year contract with Brighton keeping him at the club until June 2029. This marks the first signing for new head coach Fabian Hurzeler.
Minteh comes to the Amex Stadium after a standout season on loan at Feyenoord where he scored 10 goals and provided six assists in 27 league appearances helping the team finish as runners-up in the Eredivisie.
Speaking to Brighton’s official website, Minteh expressed his excitement about joining the Premier League club.
“I’m feeling really happy about the move. Feyenoord was a great experience for me. But Brighton is a club I have watched in the Premier League. It’s a good club for young players, and the way the young players have progressed here is important for me.”
Minteh continued,
“Although I didn’t play any games for Newcastle, look where I am now! I have the chance at Brighton in the Premier League. The Premier League back home in Gambia is huge. It’s the thing everybody talks about, and everybody watches. I would say the whole country is happy for me and they have been supporting me since I played in Denmark.”
Brighton’s Excitement for Minute
Technical director David Weir praised Minteh’s talent and potential, saying,
“Yankuba is a young talent that has attracted a lot of interest, so we’re delighted to welcome him to the club. He is an exciting attacking player with incredible speed. He had a very impressive campaign with Feyenoord, gaining experience in both the Champions League and Europa League. Now, we will give him the time and support he needs to ensure that he settles in.”
Minteh is eager to meet his new boss Fabian Hurzeler and start pre-season training.
“I will do whatever he likes and hopefully we can win a lot of games for him so that I can be happy, he can be happy, and my teammates can also be happy!” he added.
Newcastle United decided to sell Minteh to generate funds and avoid breaching the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules. The Magpies were at risk of a points deduction for next season if they failed to balance their books by the June 30 deadline.
Brighton fans will be eagerly watching to see how Minteh adapts to the Premier League and contributes to their team in the coming seasons.
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