Despite spending over £125m during the summer transfer window, Newcastle United failed to recruit any new signings during the recent January window due to concerns over their FFP.
Sandro Tonali, Tino Livramento, Lewis Hall and Harvey Barnes all joined the Magpies as the club looked to back Eddie Howe as they entered their first Champions League campaign in 20 years.
Howe's side failed to qualify for the knockout stages of the competition and have struggled in the Premier League due to injuries to key players throughout the campaign.
Joelinton, Callum Wilson and Sven Botman have all had extended spells on the sidelines with injuries – with the club currently sitting in 9th place, 13 points off the Champions League places.
Almiron's potential move to Saudi Arabia
During the closing stages of the January window, Newcastle winger Miguel Almiron was linked with a £30m move to join Al Shabab in Saudi Arabia. Talk surrounding the 29-year-old's potential move to Saudi Arabia came around after Newcastle's chief executive Darren Eales suggested that the club must sell players before making any major signings due to the constraints of FFP.
With Almiron staying until at least the end of the season, it has provided a boost for the Magpies with the club currently lacking in attacking areas due to injuries to players such as Alexander Isak, who limped off during the 3-1 win against Aston Villa last week.
Harvey Barnes and striker Wilson both made their return from injury off the bench against Luton Town during the 4-4 draw last weekend, with Almiron – who disappointed – being replaced by Barnes in the 63rd minute before the former Leicester City man scored the equaliser with just 17 minutes remaining.
Minutes played
63
Touches
39
Accurate passes
29/34 (85%)
Shots
0
Expected assists (xA)
0.03
Key passes
1
Possession lost
7x
The Paraguayan remains under contract at St James' Park until 2026, however, the winger is turning 30 later this month. The club still may choose to sell him during the summer before his price tag decreases or before he enters the final 18 months of his current deal.
Newcastle's teenage Almiron replacement
Although he's been a success at St James' Park since his £20m move back in January 2019, his time at the club might be coming to an end. He's scored 30 times in 197 appearances for the Magpies but might have to make way for a young talent already on the books at the club.
Yankuba Minteh joined the club for around £5.8m on July 1st 2023 from Danish side Odense BK, before immediately joining Feyenoord on loan for the rest of the 2023/24 campaign. The 19-year-old Gambian has scored three times in his 14 appearances in the Eredivisie, as he looks to gain experience ahead of a potential first-team spot for Newcastle next season.
His goal contributions this season may not seem overly impressive, but when delving into his stats per 90 this season, the youngster blows Almiron out of the water. The 19-year-old averages 9.2 progressive carries per game, nearly six more than the Paraguayan who only averages 3.6 per 90.
Minteh has been a real threat for Feyenoord this season, completing 4.7 successful take-ons per 90 a figure that current Magpies first-team player Almiron can't get anywhere near. Newcastle's number 24 only averages 1.1 take-ons a game – a real weakness to his game in comparison to Minteh.
It's not just in attacking areas where 19-year-old Minteh excels, he also ranks highly defensively – averaging 3.2 tackles per 90. Almiron isn't as defensively-minded, with the former Atalanta United forward only making 1.9 tackles per game in the Premier League this season.
Although the "magic" teenager, as described by Odense's vice CEO, Steffen Nielsen, is yet to make a league appearance for Howe's side, his stint in the Netherlands is proving that the 19-year-old has huge potential to be a hit at St James' Park.
Despite his tender age, he could potentially ease fans' worries about the void left by Almiron should he leave the club in the coming months, as well as concerns surrounding spending.
