What Yankuba Minteh said about refusing to celebrate his goal for Brighton against Newcastle United

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Newcastle United will once again come up against Yankuba Minteh at the weekend, a player who is quickly becoming a bogeyman for them.

The Premier League is back on Saturday following the international break and Newcastle United will be aiming to continue their good form from before the pause in action.

It won’t be easy against a Brighton team that has caused them trouble in recent years, though, with Eddie Howe’s side not winning the fixture since May 2023.

Yankuba Minteh has played a key role in ensuring Brighton’s undefeated streak continued, as he scored in both of his two appearances against his former club last season.

However, despite never playing a game for Newcastle, Minteh refused to celebrate either of his goals and here is what he said about it.

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Yankuba Minteh on his goal against Newcastle United

Minteh’s first goal against Newcastle came in an FA Cup tie after he levelled the scores following Alexander Isak’s opener and he refused to celebrate. Instead, the winger put his hands up in a praying gesture, as if apologising for the strike.

The sides then met in May in the league, with Minteh this time giving his side the lead before again making the apology gesture.

However, he then appeared to change his mind as he wagged his finger towards the Newcastle fans, pointed to the Amex pitch and then repeatedly tapped the Brighton badge on his chest as his teammates became visibly frustrated with his conduct.

After the match, the Gambian said: “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. So I try to celebrate for them 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 sell them and I try to do that every time I play against them. I am happy about it.”

Newcastle will just be hoping that Minteh doesn’t score for a third game in a row against them on Saturday.

How Yankuba Minteh feels about Newcastle United after he was sold without playing a minute

Newcastle signed Minteh for a steal at £7m from Danish side Odense and excitement was high about the youngster’s potential.

He was immediately sent out on loan to Feyenoord for regular minutes, where he would win the Eredivisie title under now-Liverpool boss Arne Slot to increase the anticipation for his arrival at St. James’ Park even further.

However, it wouldn’t come to pass as Newcastle were forced to sell Minteh to ensure they didn’t break PSR restrictions.

In the same summer as Elliot Anderson was sold to Nottingham Forest, Newcastle cashed in on Minteh for £35m.

Despite never playing a single minute for the club before being shipped out, Minteh holds no animosity towards Newcastle.

“I didn’t know anything about that because I’d never heard of it, that thing, ‘PFA’, or something like that [meaning PSR],” he told The Athletic in April.

“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 [at Feyenoord] 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.”