Yankuba MInteh has now informed Newcastle of his preferred destination as exit looms - Fabrizio Romano

It is looking increasing likely that Yankuba Minteh will leave Newcastle United without ever even having trained with the squad.

Eddie Howe's players return to training next week by which time Yankuba Minteh, who signed 12 months ago from OB Odense before being immediately loaned to Feyenoord for the season, will probably have left the club.

Minteh had an impressive season with the Dutch side under Arne Slot, who has now taken over at Liverpool. Many Newcastle fans were excited to see what the 19-year-old could do for Newcastle when he returned to the club.

We were expecting to see him in action in pre-season for the Magpies at least before his future was decided, but now it seems that Profitability and Sustainability Rules have taken that option out of our hands.

Minteh looks to have chosen his destination

Minteh looks to be the player to make way so that Newcastle can come back in under the PSR threshold before next week's deadline with Everton and Lyon stepping up their efforts over the weekend.

Fabrizio Romano has now issued an update to this on X saying that Minteh has informed Newcastle that his preferred destination would be Everton.

This of course plays in nicely to the mutually beneficial arrangement of Everton buying Minteh from us and we buy Dominic Calvert-Lewin from them, bringing us both back inline with PS-bloody-R.

Now ... we wait

In an ideal world, we'd not be selling Minteh at all, but if we have to, then we'd definitely prefer he went abroad. We can't handle the idea of seeing him tear up the Premier League next season and wondering "what if?"

Of course, he could go to Everton and be completely pants and unsuited to the Premier League in which case we'll all be praising the club's foresight.

Anything can happen, but right now, we don't like it. Not one bit.