AliousYankuba Minteh’s Strange Brighton Goal Celebration Sends Mixed Signals to Newcastle Fans as Sky Sports Cameras Capture His Cryptic Message
Yankuba Minteh made headlines again after opening the scoring for Brighton & Hove Albion in their Premier League clash against his former club, Newcastle United. The 20-year-old winger’s goal marked his second strike against Newcastle this season, the first coming in Brighton’s 2-1 FA Cup win at St James’ Park in March.
Minteh, who was sold by Newcastle to Brighton last summer for £33 million to help the Magpies comply with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), never actually featured for Newcastle in a competitive game. He spent his only season under contract with them on loan at Feyenoord before making a permanent move to the south coast. Despite that, his actions following Sunday’s goal sparked confusion and curiosity.
After scoring, Minteh offered what appeared to be an apologetic gesture toward the Newcastle supporters, pressing his palms together and looking in their direction. He then shook his finger and pointed to both the Brighton badge on his shirt and the pitch below him—gestures that left fans puzzled and stirred speculation online about their meaning.
Though his connection to Newcastle was brief and indirect, Minteh’s celebrations suggest a complicated relationship with the club’s fanbase. His earlier goal at St James’ Park was met with similarly restrained behavior, where he also held up his hands in what many interpreted as a sign of respect or remorse.
In a recent interview, Minteh expressed deep appreciation for Brighton, explaining that he wasn’t saddened by Newcastle’s decision to sell him. “I just heard from my agent that they wanted to sell me,” he told *The Athletic*. “If I don’t play there, then it’s an opportunity to play for another team… I have fallen in love with \[Brighton] now.”
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, meanwhile, acknowledged that the club’s hand was forced when it came to Minteh’s sale. Despite recognizing his immense potential and suitability for the squad, Howe revealed that financial constraints left Newcastle no choice but to offload Minteh and Elliot Anderson. “It still hurts to have done it,” Howe admitted, “but we couldn’t risk a points deduction.”
Though his time at Newcastle was fleeting, Minteh’s performances—and especially his curious goal celebrations—continue to keep fans from both clubs talking. What exactly he meant by those gestures remains open to interpretation.
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