The world of football is one of constant change. Teams evolve, players come and go, and managers are always tweaking their tactics to find the perfect formula for success.
For Newcastle United, this past summer was a period of significant transition. The club said goodbye to its superstar striker, Alexander Isak, in a record-breaking transfer to Liverpool.
This kind of sale is always a jolt to the system, forcing a team to rethink its identity and find a new path forward. In response, the club invested heavily in two new forwards: the young German Nick Woltemade and the experienced Yoane Wissa.
So far, the early signs from Woltemade are very encouraging. He has scored three goals in his first six games, showing a natural instinct for finding the back of the net and adapting to the physical demands of the Premier League.
Wissa’s story, however, has been one of frustration. A knee injury suffered on international duty has delayed his debut, meaning the club is yet to see a return on its substantial investment.
This mix of promise and setback is part of the unpredictable nature of the transfer market.
But the conversation around Newcastle’s squad building goes beyond new signings. Sometimes, the players who get away can be just as telling as the ones who arrive.
In the modern game, financial regulations like Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) can force clubs into making difficult decisions they would rather avoid.
For Newcastle, this meant parting with two exciting young talents: midfielder Elliot Anderson and winger Yankuba Minteh. Looking at their progress since leaving, it is hard not to wonder what might have been if the club had found a way to keep them.
Elliot Anderson’s sale was particularly painful for the manager and the fans. A local Geordie who had risen through the club’s academy, Anderson was sold to Nottingham Forest for a fee of around £35 million.
Manager Eddie Howe has been openly honest about his feelings, stating that the decision “didn’t sit right with me then, doesn’t sit right with me today.”
He emphasized that the club was “forced to make a decision that we didn’t want to make” due to financial restrictions. Anderson was not just a player; he was a symbol of the club’s connection to its community.
Since his move, Anderson has flourished, becoming a central figure for Nottingham Forest. His development into a complete midfielder makes his absence even more poignant for Newcastle.
The statistics below illustrate his growth and all-around contribution, highlighting the kind of dynamic, box-to-box presence he has become:
| Metric (per game) | 24/25 Season | 25/26 Season |
|---|---|---|
| Matches (starts) | 37 (33) | 6 (6) |
| Goals | 2 | 0 |
| Assists | 6 | 1 |
| Touches | 54.2 | 106.0 |
| Pass Completion | 82% | 89% |
| Big Chances Created | 7 | 1 |
| Key Passes | 1.0 | 1.3 |
| Ball Recoveries | 5.6 | 7.8 |
| Tackles + Interceptions | 2.5 | 4.0 |
| Duels Won | 52% | 55% |
As the table shows, Anderson’s influence on the pitch has grown dramatically. He is seeing more of the ball, his passing has become more accurate, and his defensive work rate has increased significantly.
He is the kind of energetic, versatile midfielder who would perfectly complement the talents of Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali in Newcastle’s current setup.
Howe has expressed a desire to bring him back one day, but that would now require a massive fee, a painful reality for a player the club never truly wanted to lose.
The story of Yankuba Minteh is slightly different but no less frustrating. The Gambian winger was signed from a Danish club but was immediately sent out on loan to Feyenoord, where he impressed.
To meet financial obligations, Newcastle sold him to Brighton & Hove Albion for £30 million before he had even played a competitive match for them.
This decision has come back to haunt Newcastle in the most direct way possible. Minteh has since scored against Newcastle twice once in the league and once in the FA Cup semi-final that knocked them out of the competition. A Spanish journalist aptly called him “public enemy number one for Newcastle fans.”
Minteh’s underlying data reveals a player with explosive potential. He ranks among the top wingers in Europe for successfully taking on defenders and carrying the ball into the penalty area.
He is a constant menace, a raw but incredibly exciting talent who is now thriving at a direct rival. While Newcastle did sign Anthony Elanga to play on the right wing, it is difficult to argue that Minteh doesn’t possess a higher potential ceiling.
His rapid development suggests his transfer value will only skyrocket, and with other top clubs already taking notice, the chance for Newcastle to correct their mistake is closing fast.
The tales of Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh serve as a sobering lesson in the challenges of building a top team under financial constraints.
They represent a painful “what if” scenario for the club and its supporters. While the focus is rightly on integrating new signings like Woltemade and awaiting Wissa’s debut, the success of the players who were sold is a constant reminder of the difficult choices that must be made.
For Newcastle to truly evolve into the powerhouse they aspire to be, the goal must be to create an environment where homegrown heroes like Anderson can stay and flourish, and where diamonds in the rough like Minteh are polished on Tyneside, not for the benefit of their rivals.
