A £7m transfer fee, zero appearances and £26m profit. Yankuba Minteh's short-lived Newcastle United career was unconventional to say the least.

Forced into a sale few wanted to sanction, the Magpies offloaded the Gambia prospect from north to south as Brighton and Hove Albion snapped up his services. Since then, Minteh has proved a popular figure at the Amex Stadium since becoming a regular fixture in Fabian Hurzeler's side.

Minteh found the net at St James' Park earlier this season and instantly put his hands together, seemingly apologising to the fans who never got to see him stride out in black and white. Now, the wide man admits he has no hard feelings over the Tyneside outfit selling him before getting a proper glimpse of his abilities.

“I just heard from my agent that they wanted to sell me. I said: ‘OK, if they want to sell me, then it’s fine. I can go to another club and try," Minteh told the Athletic. "I know other clubs are interested in me, so if I don’t play there, then it’s an opportunity to play for another team. I wasn’t sad or anything like that.

“All I was doing in the Netherlands [on loan at Feyenoord] was trying to show I could play in the Premier League, because that is all I want. It doesn’t matter if it is Newcastle, Bournemouth or Brighton, but, after finding myself in Brighton, I have fallen in love with the club now. I am settled here and I am good here now.

“I don’t have anything against Newcastle. This is how football works. You go to this team, you think you are going to stay there for the rest of your life. Another team wants you, you move to another team.”

Minteh's exit, along with the unfortunate sale of homegrown talent Elliot Anderson, helped Newcastle fend off profit and sustainability rules [PSR] concerns at the 11th hour last term. Howe has stressed he wanted to keep both players but the Premier League's spending regulations forced the club's hand.

Minteh has helped himself to 11 goal involvements in 31 games this term as he bids to show why Newcastle were so keen to secure his services in the first place.