Newcastle United have hit a snag in their attempt to comply with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) before the end of the month.
The Sun reports that talented forward Yankuba Minteh has turned down a move to Olympique Lyonnais, emphasising his desire to play in the Premier League next season.
The Magpies had agreed a £40 million deal to sell the 19-year-old to the Ligue 1 giants, but the youngster had other plans.
Minteh has refused to discuss personal terms with the French giants despite the prospect of playing Europa League football next season.
The Magpies were hoping to complete the sale of the Gambian forward this week to bolster their chances of avoiding PSR sanctions, but Minteh’s decision has scuppered their plans.
The winger has reportedly told the club that he will not be forced into a transfer despite their desperation to finalise a deal before the end of the month.
Minteh hasn’t played a single minute of first-team football for Newcastle since they paid £6.5m to sign him from Danish club Odense Boldklub last summer.
The Magpies immediately shipped him off on a season-long loan to Dutch giants Feyenoord, where his impressive performances bolstered his reputation as an exciting prospect.
The youngster bagged ten goals and five assists in 27 Eredivisie appearances. He also created nine big chances in the league and averaged one key pass per 90 minutes.
Despite showing great promise at Feyenoord, Newcastle view him as the ideal solution to their PSR problems, but he’s refusing to join a team abroad.
Everton have previously been touted as a likely destination for the youngster, but the Toffees are reluctant to match Newcastle’s £40m asking price.
Brighton & Hove Albion, AS Roma and Borussia Dortmund have also inquired about Minteh, but it appears the youngster has his heart set on a move to Everton.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have approached Newcastle regarding a potential deal for Swedish striker Alexander Isak.
