Yankuba Minteh was about to be unveiled as Newcastle United's first summer signing after posing for photographs in the club's new home shirt as loan manager Shola Ameobi watched on. However, the new arrival was a long way from Tyneside - the photoshoot took place at Feyenoord's training ground.
It is all part of Newcastle's plan for the 18-year-old, who has joined the Dutch champions on a temporary basis, as he looks to get the experience and GBE points he needs to one day fulfil his Premier League dream following his £5.8m move from Odense Boldklub (OB). ChronicleLive understands Minteh had interest from other clubs in Europe, who also made official bids for the highly-rated winger. However, according to Bakary Bojang, who is the Gambian's agent, it was Newcastle who presented the 'best package' after the black-and-whites did their homework.
"When Newcastle came, we were never in doubt that it was the place for him," Bojang told ChronicleLive. "The kind of work Newcastle put in to scout the player and to know Yankuba - he was not just a player. He was a player they really wanted.
"They have scouted him a lot. They have done a lot of good research. That's why we chose Newcastle. They know 100% what kind of player they will get and what kind of player they want him to be. They were really interested and they want to further develop him. They are very serious about him. They have a good career plan for him.
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"It's not like they have money and they want to spend, spend and spend. They want to build a future around young, exciting talents that they develop, which is good for the fans as well. They know that the players that are playing in the future have been Newcastle players for a long time and the club have been developing them."
Those words give you just a little glimpse of Dan Ashworth's vision for the club - a year after the sporting director's appointment. As well as buying first-team-ready players, Newcastle are targeting emerging talent to potentially save millions in the long run and comply with Financial Fair Play regulations.
It was rather telling, then, that Ashworth was the Newcastle figure quoted in the club's press release after the deal was completed. Ashworth has hailed Minteh as a player with 'high potential' who has a 'promising career' ahead of him after a remarkable first season in Europe.
Indeed, it is a measure of Minteh's astonishing progress that the youngster was still playing in Gambia 12 months ago before the winger returned to OB for another trial after the club first looked at him in 2021. First-team manager Andreas Alm quickly took note of a rapid prospect.
"There were two players coming in and, to be honest, it was the other player that the club was looking at first and foremost," he told ChronicleLive. "Yankuba came along as a player and, also, almost like a friend to the player we were scouting but, pretty soon, you could tell he was the most interesting one.
"He came back again the second time and at the end of that period, he was taking off. He was using his speed, going one against one. He played some reserve games against players that had played in the league for a while and he started to do crazy things with the defenders."
It did not take Minteh long to get his chance at OB and the new signing certainly did not lack belief. In fact, Minteh vowed to those closest to him that as soon as he got his chance in the first team, they would 'never take me out'.
Although Minteh's camp thought it would be six months before he got that opportunity - the new arrival was called upon just a few weeks later. Minteh was thrown in against FC Copenhagen, the reigning champions, and ended up scoring a winning goal just three minutes after coming on as a substitute.
Remarkably, as is tradition at OB, Minteh had not even had his name printed on his shirt because he was not yet a permanent member of the first-team squad. That soon changed.
Minteh went on to be directly involved in a further seven goals in his first season in the Danish Superliga, but it was not all plain sailing. As Alm put it: "He had some blows along the way."
Minteh was left out of the squad for breaking curfew rules after being spotted in a nightclub just a couple of days before a game against Randers last February. The Gambian then kicked a corner flag in half after being taken off in his first start back against FC Nordsjaelland, which earned him a two-match ban. Remarkably, just a few days later, Minteh got into a scrap with team-mate Mads Frokjaer-Jensen in training to top off a turbulent month.
Alm observed how Minteh had a 'hard time when there were many clubs that were interested and when offers started to come in'. However, Newcastle have done their due diligence on Minteh's character and it is easy to forget this is a young man thousands of miles from home who is still maturing.
Minteh certainly learned a lot from his first season on the continent. Bojang, the agent who has known his countryman since he was first tipped off about a talented 12-year-old at the Bakoteh United Academy, admitted Minteh had 'not been used to the kind of attention he got'.
"He's a young player and there are a lot of things he needs to develop, but his potential is huge," Bojang said. "His mentality, too. He's a winner - he always wants to win. He loves football. He's very passionate when he's playing. That's what Newcastle saw."
Alm, echoing that, said 'on the pitch, he has been good all the time' and Minteh has certainly been effective as one of the fastest players in the Danish league with a top speed of 36.3km. As big a weapon as that is in the final third, Minteh has also embraced his defensive responsibilities and used that pace to slow opposition attackers down in his own half, too.
That quality certainly appeals to Feyenoord - pressing is a crucial part of boss Arne Slot's philosophy - and a lot of thought has gone into choosing the Eredivisie title winners as Minteh's interim destination. Not only will Minteh be joining a huge club with a long history of developing talent - the 18-year-old will also be exposed to life in the Champions League and a passionate fan base to boot.
Among those who will be watching on with interest is Alm, who also handed one Alexander Isak his professional debut at AIK at the age of just 16. The OB boss has already thought about the prospect of his former protégées one day lining up together.
"It's a good feeling to see someone move on like that," he added. "It's not the first time and it's not the last time, but it's still a really nice moment to see. You have to call it a dream. I know Yankuba has not played in the Premier League yet, but he belongs to a club that really believes in him."
