Yankuba Minteh is delighted to get a chance to play in the Premier League after completing his move to Albion from Newcastle United.
Newcastle signed the 19-year-old winger from Danish club Odense BK last summer, but he spent the whole of last season on loan in the Netherlands with Feyenoord, scoring ten goals and contributing six assists.
“I'm feeling really happy about the move,” he said. “Feyenoord was a great experience for me. Everybody loved me, the coaching staff, players - it was like a family. But Brighton is a club which I have watched in the Premier League. It's a good club for young players and the way the young players have progressed here is important for me.
“I think it's a great thing to move to [another] Premier League club. Although I didn't play any games for Newcastle look where I am now! I have the chance at Brighton in the Premier League.”
Minteh, who celebrates his 20th birthday on 22 July, has already won seven caps and scored three goals for Gambia, a country which he says is passionate about the Premier League.
“The Premier League back home in Gambia is huge,” he added. “It's the thing everybody talks about, and everybody watches. I would say the whole country is happy for me and they have been supporting me since I played in Denmark.
“Playing for my country was always a thing which I was dreaming about since I was young, so I'm very happy to represent my country.”
Yankuba describes himself as a quick player who enjoys pressing and does all his work with intensity. He is looking forward to meeting new head coach Fabian Hurzeler when Albion report back for pre-season training. He added, “I will do whatever he likes and hopefully we can win a lot of games for him so that I can be happy, he can be happy, and my teammates can also be happy!”