Newcastle United youngster Yankuba Minteh is likely to return to the club in the summer from Feyenoord, even if he has found himself criticised at times this season.
That’s according to Feyenoord icon Willian van Hanegem, who believes the Dutch side will be losing the youngster after his sole year on loan.
Minteh has been on loan with the Dutch champions since the summer, signing immediately after moving to Newcastle from Odense.
The Magpies’ plan was for him to spend the season in the Netherlands developing himself further and establishing himself in Europe, with the Eredivisie having proven to be a breeding ground of top talent for a number of years.
Their plan has certainly worked as he’s established himself as a key player under Slot, making 32 appearances in all competitions and managing ten goals and four assists.
Newcastle are yet to make a firm decision on the matter, though, seemingly leaving it hanging until the summer before deciding what to do with the youngster.
Van Hanegem, though, believes a decision may already have been made and Minteh will return to St James Park, expressing as much while defending the winger from criticism in Algemeen Dagblad.
“That is quickly said,” he said in reference to claims Minteh is a ‘trotter’ and ‘blind’ to fellow players.
“(But) if you look closely at him, he is often – especially at the start of the match – in a good position where he can go straight to the goal.
“He then doesn’t get the ball. Just look back at the matches. It has certainly happened three or four times.
“What do you get with a young player, who thinks ‘if I don’t get it, why should I give the ball to him? I also want to score a goal.’ He sometimes thinks that way, which is not strange at all. I think we will lose him again.”
