Newcastle United owners have now done two excellent pieces of business | OneFootball

Going into this summer’s transfer window the focus for the Newcastle United owners was as much about hanging on to the club’s top players, as it was on who would be coming through the door.

Without European football, and with a pressing need to sell players in order to meet PSR/FFP restrictions, there seemed a grim inevitability that the Newcastle United owners would be forced to sell one of their crown jewels.

With interest likely to be high in players such as Alexander Isak, Bruno Guimaraes, and Anthony Gordon.

So to be now in July, confident that those three players are likely to be plying their trade at St James’ Park next season (notwithstanding some media claims about Gordon’s head allegedly being turned by interest from Liverpool) is a triumph for all concerned.

This has been achieved by the sale of two promising young talents, with hometown boy Elliot Anderson heading to Nottingham Forest and Yankubah Minteh joining Brighton and Hove Albion.

Anderson leaves St James’ Park having made 55 first-team appearances for the club, while Minteh never pulled on the black and white stripes at ll, having been signed in the summer of 2023 and being immediately loaned out to Feyenoord.

While there has been understandable disappointment at having to sell two highly-rated young prospects to balance the books, I think the Newcastle United owners have actually done two excellent pieces of business.

While Anderson has played well at times there have been other periods where he has looked lightweight and out of his depth at the top level. Although his versatility was a strength to Eddie Howe who deployed him in a number of different positions, it also became increasingly difficult to tell what position he might go on to make his own.

Was he a wide man or a central midfielder?

Could he add goals and assists to his game that his talent suggested he had in his locker, or would he develop into a more defensive-minded player, with his ability to win the ball back and move it forward quickly?

It was difficult to tell and with the squad looking particularly well stocked in that area, it was hard to imagine a pathway for Anderson to establish himself as one of the first names on the team sheet for Eddie Howe.

Minteh was signed from Danish side Odense after a debut season that had seen him score four goals in 17 appearances.

Considered not ready to challenge for a place in Eddie Howe’s side, he was loaned out to then Dutch champions Feyenoord who were managed by now Liverpool manager Arne Slot.

He enjoyed an excellent season, highlighting the potential that the powers that be at Newcastle United had identified in him.

Minteh made 37 appearances for Feyenoord, scoring 11 goals, adding six assists, and winning the Dutch Cup.

However, with Eddie Howe rumoured to be keen to strengthen the right forward area where Minteh plays, it seemed unlikely that he was going to feature prominently in the manager’s plans for 24/25. To make a reported £27m million profit on a player in 12 months represents tremendous business.

Although undoubtedly disappointing to have to sell two young prospects, this is currently the financial world that football clubs are living in.

These two transfers should hopefully have the desired effect overall, helping to unlock more funds to allow Eddie Howe to strengthen his first team, as we aim to get back in the UEFA Champions League and finally try to end a domestic trophy drought dating back to 1955.