It’s hard for young players to say no when a call comes from a big and wealthy club. Sometimes, joining a glamourous outfit can stiffle the development of a player needing regular first-team football. At least, that is what Gambian U20 coach Abdoulie Bojang said after Newcastle United showed interest in his protege Yankuba Minteh.##NAJAVA_MECA_7234412##The 18-year-old Gambian winger, who currently plays for OB Odense in Denmark, welcomed the interest from the Premier League club, which looks determined to bring the young African to St. James’ Park at the end of the season. “Of course, I want to go to Newcastle. It is a big club in the Premier League, and they are doing something good. They are fighting for a place in the Champions League. I am ready to take the next step, and it will only be good for me.”Yakuba Minteh (18) makes it a brace of assists for Odense BK today🇬🇲👏 pic.twitter.com/yMErEmpbIZ— The Next Gen📝 (@Talent4dayz) April 16, 2023 Minteh moved from Gambian First Division club Steve Biko FC to Odense in 2022 and quickly impressed. He has already been involved with the Gambia national senior squad after being called for friendlies last November. It’s been a meteoric rise for the boy who’s scored three goals and made eight assists in 14 appearances for OB Odense. However, Bojang urged the youngster to hold on to his current club and continue to thrive in the first team rather than get stuck in Newcastle’s development squad.”Yankuba is a very important player for us. If you look at his performances in recent times, he has played at a high level continuously. Here in the U20 national team, we need an offensive player with creativity and someone who can deliver the right pass in the last third of the pitch. Most of our players play in African clubs, so it is clear that Yankuba has qualities on a slightly different level.”Leading the Gambia to a stunning campaign so far 🦂 🇬🇲 Abdoulie Bojang is the #TotalEnergiesAFCONU20 group stages best coach 👔 pic.twitter.com/AwQSHxJaYt— #TotalEnergiesAFCONU17 2023 🏆 (@CAF_Online) February 28, 2023 The Gambian international was told by Odense he wouldn’t be able to play at the U20 World Cup later this year due to a calendar clash, but that’s not Bojang’s main concern. He says he only thinks about the player’s long-term well-being.”Here in the U20 national team, we need an offensive player with creativity and someone who can deliver the right pass in the last third of the pitch. The majority of our players play in African clubs, so it is clear that Yankuba has qualities on a slightly different level. I know him very well. He had played for me in the U17 national team and also when I was a coach for a local club. We wanted him to go to the Africa Cup of Nations, but Odense rejected that, and now they have rejected us again for the World Cup.”
Newcastle United is looking for young players to replenish their academy and develop future first-team players. The arrival of Garang Koul, the Egyptian-born Australian international of South Sudanese roots, is a sign of the Magpies’ new transfer policy of getting promising players while they’re still establishing themselves on the biggest stage. However, Kuol hasn’t impressed on loan with Hearts in Scotland and is spending most of the time on the sidelines. Bojang doesn’t want that to happen to the Gambian winger.”I always tell young players they should not overestimate their abilities. I still think it’s a bit early. He is still young. He lacks experience. If he goes to a big club and doesn’t perform, he’s stuck.”