‘We can’t’… Eddie Howe now suggests £6m attacker will not play for Newcastle United this season

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Newcastle United need reinforcements in the January transfer window, but one player who we might not see at St James’ Park is Yankuba Minteh.

The 19-year-old is on loan at Feyenoord right now, but his performances for the Dutch side have led to speculation that he could be recalled by Newcastle next month.

The Magpies could seriously benefit with another body in attack, with both Harvey Barnes and Jacob Murphy struggling with injury at this moment in time.

That is why Newcastle United have been considering bringing Yankuba Minteh back to Tyneside, just months after loaning him out immediately after joining the club for £6million.

Minteh has done a lot better than expected at Feyenoord, and even got his first ever Champions League goal on the same night that Newcastle exited the competition.

His form in the Netherlands has suggested that he could have an immediate impact in the Premier League, but Eddie Howe’s latest comments hint that a Toon debut this season could be off the cards for now.

Newcastle do not have an option to recall Yankuba Minteh

Ahead of Newcastle’s game against Fulham, Howe spoke to the media. He was asked about the possibility of Minteh’s loan deal at Feyenoord being cut short.

“We can’t recall him,” he said.

“We could possibly come to an agreement with the club and the player, but there’s no clause.”

Staying at Feyenoord would be better for Minteh long term

With no recall clause in Minteh’s loan deal, it is going to be extremely difficult to bring him back to the club in January.

Of course, we could try to reach an agreement with Feyenoord, but that might be unwise. They are an excellent team, and it would be ideal to maintain a positive relationship with them with a view to further loan deals in the future.

And for Minteh, he might be more inclined to stay there anyway. He is playing regularly at a high level, whereas there would be no guarantee of minutes back at Newcastle. He could return, only for Murphy and Barnes to get back to fitness and leave him further down the pecking order.

It will be better for his long term development if he stays at Feyenoord, but that does not help us in the short term.