Liverpool eye surprise move for £40m Newcastle forward - report

Liverpool have 'expressed an interest' in signing Newcastle United winger Yankuba Minteh, according to a report.

Newcastle could be forced into sales early in the summer transfer window in order to meet the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules as well as finance their own business.

The Telegraph claim that the Magpies have therefore decided they would reluctantly accept offers of around £40m for Minteh, who spent last season on loan at Feyenoord.

While at Feyenoord, the 19-year-old was managed by and subjected to lavish praise from new Liverpool head coach Arne Slot. Minteh registered 11 goals and six assists during his one-year loan spell in the Netherlands.

The Gambia international is also the subject of interest from clubs in Italy and Germany.

Minteh was first signed by Newcastle from Danish side Odense last summer for £6.5m. They could quickly flip him for profit and use those funds to bring in a new starting winger, with Jarrod Bowen, Michael Olise and Nico Williams all on their radar.

Selling Minteh would also open the door to Newcastle keeping star players Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimaraes. 90min reported earlier this year that the Magpies would rather sell Guimaraes than Isak, with Arsenal and Manchester City among the teams eyeing the Brazil midfielder.

Newcastle have also been dealt with the added blow of not competing in Europe next season, which will reduce the maximum total earnings they could make over the course of the campaign and decreases their need for a bigger squad.

Liverpool, meanwhile, are beginning their overhaul in the post-Jurgen Klopp era and will return to the Champions League next season having finished third in the Premier League. Slot has been appointed as head coach rather than manager as part of the club's restructuring.

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