Everton have already made one signing during the summer transfer window thus far, luring Tim Iroegbunam from Aston Villa.
Sean Dyche will be aiming to bolster a squad which finished the 2023/24 Premier League season in 15th place, 14 points clear of the drop zone.
Much improvement will be required next season and Dyche may not get so long to get things right, especially with the Everton faithful desperate to see the club return to the top half of the table.
Much will depend on the players the former Burnley manager brings in over the next few weeks, as quality will be required in order to get the team back to where they belong.
Could he be set to raid a fellow Premier League team for a talented winger? As Dyche is looking to lower the average age of his first team squad.
Everton eye up Newcastle youngster
Due to the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR), the Toffees were required to sell players before the deadline of June 30.
This meant Lewis Dobbin moved to Aston Villa, while defender Ben Godfrey has made a move to Serie A side Atalanta for a fee in the region of £10m.
This could give Dyche some flexibility in the transfer market with regard to strengthening his side, and it looks as though a current Newcastle United starlet could be keen on moving to Merseyside.
Fabrizio Romano gave an update on Yankuba Minteh’s future, saying on X that the teenager would favour a move to Goodison:
Minteh has yet to make an appearance for the Magpies, but as they need to move players on sooner rather than later, the Goodison Park outfit could make a concrete move for the 19-year-old.
He could cost around £40m however, which may prove to be a major stumbling block unless Dyche manages to make a few more sales this summer.
Judging by his form last season, this could turn into a wise investment for the future.
Yankuba Minteh’s season in numbers
Newcastle signed the youngster from Danish side Odense last summer as the club were looking to bulk up their squad with promising talents who could eventually become regulars in the first team.
He was immediately sent out on loan to Feyenoord for the 2023/24 campaign in order to gain regular game time and the move worked out extremely well.
The winger made 37 appearances across all competitions for the Eredivisie side, winning the Dutch Cup in the process.
He wasn’t just a bit part member of the squad either, as he scored 11 goals and grabbed six assists for the club, showcasing his attacking abilities throughout the campaign.
Among his teammates, Minteh ranked in an impressive fourth position for goals and assists (15) in the top flight last season, along with ranking third for shots on target per game (0.9) and first for successful dribbles per game (2.2) as he emerged as one of the finest players in the squad last term.
Goals
10
Assists
5
Key passes per game
1
Big chances created
9
Successful dribbles per game
2.2
Shots on target per game
0.9
Scoring frequency (minutes)
147
The right-winger could give Dyche a must-needed boost on that flank next term, especially as he could be an ideal upgrade to Jack Harrison.
How Yankuba Minteh compares to Jack Harrison
Last summer, the Toffees signed Harrison on loan from Leeds United, going on to score four goals across 35 matches in all competitions, hardly an earth-shattering statistic.
Leeds confirmed earlier this week that the winger will rejoin Everton for another season-long loan spell for the 2024/25 campaign, but it is clear Minteh is a much more attractive prospect for Dyche.
When compared to his positional peers across the men’s next 14 leagues, Minteh ranked in the top 1% for progressive carries (7.85), successful take-ons (3.65), touches in the opposition penalty area (9.89) and non-penalty goals (0.62) per 90 over the previous 365 days.
These are incredible figures and prove that his season in the Netherlands has clearly given him plenty of confidence to showcase his wonderful talents on the biggest stage.
Harrison, on the other hand, ranked in the top in 9% for progressive carries (2.64), the top 16% for successful take-ons (1.18) and the top 11% for touches in the opposition penalty area (2.4) per 90.
He even ranked outside the top 20% for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.12) and while his stats come in a top-five European league, the evidence is clear – Minteh should be Dyche’s option to perform on the right wing next season.
Raj Chohan, founder of the Premier League Panel, lauded Minteh following his impressive season for Feyenoord, saying: “Newcastle should do everything to keep Yankuba Minteh & sell other players instead.
“He has the Vinícius quality of constant intensity during a match both on-the-ball with his dribbling & off-the-ball with his runs. Also has nice close control. They won’t find a better RW talent.”
The teenager has made just 54 club appearances so far during the embryonic stages of his career, scoring 15 goals and adding in another 14 assists.
Fabrizio Romano: £4,200-a-week target wants to join Everton this summer
His current club are actively trying to sell him.
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He has also made his debut for the Gambia too, playing six times for his country, scoring three goals during those ties, while even playing at the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations.
The youngster has such a high ceiling that if Dyche misses out on him, he could regret it. If Everton have the financial clout to sign Minteh, they must make their offer sooner rather than later, as there will surely be plenty of other suitors ready to make a move for the player.
Signing Harrison on another loan deal may not have cost Everton a transfer fee, but he won't be able to offer the same sort of attacking threat that Minteh possesses, and this could prevent the Toffees from reaching their true potential next season.